Unclaimed funds are monies paid by the bankruptcy trustee to the Bankruptcy Clerk, who then is the custodian of those funds until the person entitled to those funds files an application to pay the unclaimed funds to them. In bankruptcy cases that have assets, the trustee pays out money collected from liquidating the assets to creditors who have filed claims in a particular case. Sometimes, the money paid out by a trustee, always issued as a check, is returned by the post office as undeliverable or the check is not cashed within 90 days. By law, in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases, the trustee is required to deposit those funds to the court as unclaimed. Also, in some cases the trustee pays monies as unclaimed funds to the court where the funds are due the debtor, such as in a dismissed case. In either example, the claimant or debtor did not receive the check and it was returned to the trustee as undeliverable typically because they had moved and did not report their change of address to the court and the trustee.
You may search the unclaimed funds list by clicking here. If your name, or the name of your business, appears on this list, you may be entitled to a refund. Following are PDF versions of the instructions for recovering unclaimed funds, as well as the forms required to do so.
Please contact one of the following Bankruptcy Court staff to obtain further assistance in recovering the funds to which you may be entitled.
- Rosa D. Trujillo 602-682-4130 / 800-556-9230 ext. 4130 or
- Janet Spiker 602-682-4132 / 800-556-9230 ext. 4132
Mailing Address:
230 N. First Ave.,
Suite 101
Phoenix, AZ 85003
There is no charge for this service and, after our verification of your right to unclaimed funds in your name, you will be paid the entire amount that appears on the list (or the amount minus the fee you agreed to pay to an unclaimed funds locator).