Straight answers, before you call

Surplus funds are real and the claims process is a matter of public record. You can verify all of it yourself: call the clerk of court or the tax collector in the county where your property sold and ask whether excess proceeds are being held on your case.

You are right to be careful. This field attracts people who ask for money up front, pressure you to sign the same day, or want you to assign your claim to them for a flat sum. We do none of those things. Before signing anything with anyone, check the percentage they take and whether the document is a recovery agreement or an assignment.

Most people are not sure, and there is no way to know without looking at the records. That is exactly what the free check is for.

If there is nothing there, we tell you and that is the end of it. You will not be charged and you will not be chased.

Broadly, if you owned a property that was sold at a foreclosure auction or a tax sale, and the sale raised more than was owed, you may have a claim. Heirs of a former owner can usually claim as well.

You do not need to work any of this out in advance. Give us the address and the rough sale date and we will tell you where you stand.

Yes. Title is often held in a company name rather than a personal one, and the surplus belongs to whoever held it. That covers LLCs, corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates, and it applies to commercial property and vacant land as much as to houses.

Entity claims take a little more paperwork. The county needs proof the company existed and held the property, and proof that you are authorized to act for it, usually an operating agreement, a corporate resolution, or a filing that names you as a member or officer. If the company has since been dissolved, some states require it to be reinstated before it can collect. We will tell you which of those apply in your state and handle the filings either way.

It depends entirely on the state. Some allow a year, others several years, and a few have no firm cut-off but let the county absorb unclaimed money after a set period.

If your property sold recently, time is worth treating as short. If it sold some years ago, it is still worth asking, because the answer varies far more than people expect.

Nothing up front, and nothing at all if we do not recover your money. We work on a contingency basis in the states that allow it, so our fee is an agreed percentage of the amount recovered, taken from that amount rather than billed to you.

The percentage is fixed in writing before we begin, and several states cap what a recovery firm may charge. We tell you the exact figure for your state on the first call.

No. Record retrieval, filing fees, notary costs and the attorney’s costs all come out of the recovery at the end. You will never receive an invoice from us.

When the money is released you get a written breakdown showing the total recovered, every deduction, and the balance paid to you.

You owe nothing. We absorb the costs we have already spent. That is the trade-off of contingency work, and it is also why we are straight with you at the start about whether a claim looks worth filing.

Yes, and we will tell you so if your case looks simple. You have every right to file directly with the county at no cost.

People generally come to us when the county requires an attorney, when there are competing claims or liens, when the owner has died and probate is involved, or when they have tried and hit a wall. If yours is straightforward, doing it yourself keeps all of the money.

The record check takes one to two business days. The claim itself usually takes a few months, and longer in counties where a judge has to sign off.

Most of that time is the county’s, not ours. Some process claims in weeks; others work through a queue and a court calendar. We give you a realistic range for your county rather than a number that sounds good.

To begin, none. The first check is done entirely from public records, so all we need is the property address and roughly when it sold.

If there is money to claim, you will typically need photo identification and something tying you to the address, such as an old utility bill or mortgage statement. Some counties want a notarized signature. If the former owner has died, the county will ask for a death certificate and proof that you are the heir or executor.

That is common and it is rarely a problem. Deeds, mortgage records and sale documents are public, so we can usually pull what is needed ourselves.

Identification is the one thing we cannot replace for you. If you need to reorder ID, start that early, because it is often the slowest item.

In most cases, no. The attorney appears where an appearance is needed and handles correspondence with the court on your behalf.

If a hearing does require you, we will tell you well ahead and explain exactly what to expect.

That is common. Sale records are public, so several firms often write to the same person. A letter does not commit you to anything and you are free to compare.

Two things to check on any letter: the percentage they intend to take, and whether the document is a recovery agreement or an assignment. An assignment sells them your claim outright, often for far less than it is worth. If you have already signed something and are unsure what it was, send us a copy and we will read it and tell you plainly what it says.

No. We do not sell your personal information, and no mobile information is shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Opt-in data and SMS consent are never disclosed to anyone.

We share details only where it is necessary to work your claim, for example with the attorney handling the filing or with the county office itself. Full detail is in our Privacy Policy.

No. The consent boxes on our form are entirely optional, the phone field is optional too, and neither affects whether we will work with you.

If you do opt in, you can stop at any time by replying STOP, and you can reply HELP for assistance. Message frequency varies and message and data rates may apply.

No. Shlama Asset Recovery is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Where a claim must be filed through a court, it is prepared and filed by an attorney licensed in that state.

If you want independent legal advice about your situation, we would encourage it, and we can work alongside an attorney you choose yourself.