Check Escheated: Now What?

An uncashed check we wrote back in March has now been automatically placed in the "Escheated" status. It seems therefore that I can't void and re-enter the expense. Questions:

1) How can the ward member lay claim to the funds? Should he contact the State?

2) Will the value of this check be deducted from our ward budget and financial statement the same as a cleared check?

3) Is there some special action required of me as the clerk?

Brother Shaw

I just went through this. You need to contact the ward member to find out what they want to do. In my case, they had left the ward and really didn't want the money, so I called SLC and had them void the check. This then came back into our ward budget (it has already been deducted from your ward budget when you wrote the check). If they want the money, the easiest thing is to have them bring you the old check, get SLC to void the check and then issue them a new check.

Now what if a member comes to you with a cheque from 2009?

seydlitz77 wrote:Now what if a member comes to you with a cheque from 2009?

It is not clear what happens to checks issued before the new escheatment policy went into effect. I would, as a ward clerk, contact the GSC for clarification. However, following the same instructions for an escheated check under the current instructions, "the payee must contact Church headquarters to get the funds" (see Outstanding Checks and Escheatment), sounds appropriate.

jdlessley wrote:

seydlitz77 wrote:Now what if a member comes to you with a cheque from 2009?

It is not clear what happens to checks issued before the new escheatment policy went into effect. I would, as a ward clerk, contact the GSC for clarification. However, following the same instructions for an escheated check under the current instructions, "the payee must contact Church headquarters to get the funds" (see Outstanding Checks and Escheatment), sounds appropriate.

Checks were still escheated prior to the current policy. The timing and process was different but it still happened for checks that were never cashed or voided. In many states the money will have been turned over to the state as unclaimed property and the member will need to follow the appropriate procedures for that state. However, contacting headquarters is probably the best first step. They should be able to give specific details about what to do base on the specifics of that particular check.

Who can help with checks from previous years? Pleasant View 3rd Ward, Provo Utah Sharon East Stake

DavidRAnderson wrote:Who can help with checks from previous years?

I'd call Local Unit Support.