"We've been busy, busy, busy," said Department of State Lands Estates Program and Fiscal Manager Pamela Konstantopoulos. "Since 2002, we've experienced a 309 percent increase in activity, with an average 2.32 estates now being managed per week."
Oregon's Constitution directs DSL to act as personal representative for estates for which there is no will or known heir, and to reunite the estate with legal heirs whenever possible. The Department holds estates in trust for 10 years within the Common School Fund (CSF); if no heirs can be located within that claim period, the proceeds from the estate permanently escheat to the CSF.
In January 2006, the Legislative Emergency Board approved two new limited-duration positions for the program. Estate Analyst Greg Goller and Paralegal Sally Wells joined Estate Specialist Wayne Smith to form a three-person estates team. All three are new to DSL.
With the two additional staff positions, DSL has stepped up efforts to contact landlords, funeral homes, medical examiners and others to educate them about the agency's responsibilities, resulting in a dramatic increase in both the number of estates being managed by DSL and in the revenue from escheats. Revenues have increased 1155 percent, from $92,000 in 2002 to more than $1 million in 2005.
"Our new team will be working on more outreach and education and streamlining the estates process over the next few years," said Konstantopoulos. "We are excited about being able to deliver a better program to Oregonians, reuniting estates with the heirs whenever possible, and increasing revenue from escheated estates to the Common School Fund."
For more information about the Estates Program, contact Wayne Smith, 503-378-3805, ext. 287; email: wayne.smith@state.or.us.
