Frequently asked questions

Because a tax sale may have left money for you or your family, and finding the people it belongs to is what we do. We call from the number on this site. If you'd rather we didn't contact you again, tell us and we won't.

Finding people is part of the research we do. If you'd rather we didn't call again, say so and we won't.

No. Family Legacy Recovery LLC is a private company registered in Utah. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government or court.

Fair question, and worth asking anyone who calls you about money, including us. What protects you isn't our word, it's how this works: you pay nothing up front, we're paid only if you are, and everything is in writing before you sign. Before you sign anything, we will never ask you for money, bank details or your Social Security number. Call us and ask anything.

No. Websites where you type in your name to search for unclaimed property, like old bank accounts, uncashed checks or forgotten deposits, are something different, and searching them is free. That isn't what we do. We search government records, find surplus funds left after a property was sold for unpaid taxes, and locate the rightful owner. In some places, surplus that goes unclaimed for years is eventually handed to the state's unclaimed property program, so it can show up there too. If you're looking for unclaimed property, these are the official sites we're aware of today. Each link takes you off our site, to a site we don't run.

• unclaimed.org, which links to every state's own site
• MissingMoney.com, which searches most states at once

Look us up yourself, without taking our word for it. Family Legacy Recovery LLC is registered with the State of Utah, entity number 14523882-0160. We are also registered to do business in Georgia, control number 26209234. Search for Family Legacy Recovery LLC on each state's business search, and check that the name and number match. The number we call from is the one on this site, so you can call it back to check that a call came from us.

Yes, where we take work. Helping former owners and heirs recover money left over from a tax sale is legal. Some states and counties limit what a service like ours can charge, and we follow the rules where the property is.

Money left over when a property is sold for unpaid taxes and brings in more than was owed. It may belong to the former owner, or to their heirs.

Because finding it is the work we're paid for, and we're paid only if you are. You get every detail once you've signed up.

Before you sign, nothing but a conversation. After you sign, proof of who you are, and if the owner has died, how you're related. Michael tells you exactly what your claim needs.

You get the full details of what we found. Michael prepares the paperwork, tells you what he needs from you and why, and handles the claim from there, keeping you updated until the money is paid to you or the claim is closed.

A share of what's recovered, after the costs we advanced, agreed in writing before you sign. You always keep the larger part. Nothing up front, and nothing at all if nothing is recovered.

It depends on where the property is and on what has to be shown before the money can be released, so we can't promise a date. Once you've signed, Michael keeps you updated at each step, and you can call or text him any time to ask where things stand.

No. Until a claim is approved and paid, nothing is certain, and someone else may have a claim too. If nothing is recovered, you owe us nothing.

Not necessarily. It depends on the government holding the money, and after a while it can get harder. Sooner is easier.

Usually, yes. The right passes to the people who inherit. We aren't a law firm, and we'll tell you before anyone signs anything whether yours is a situation we can help with.

They may be entitled to part of the money. When there are several heirs, the law decides how it's shared, and a lender or someone else with a legal claim on the property may have a right to some of it. Before you sign, we'll tell you who else may have a claim, as far as we can see it.

Some claims need a court's approval before the money can be paid, depending on where the property is and who is claiming. If yours does, we'll tell you before you sign, explain what it involves, and tell you whether you would need to be there.

We're not a law firm, and we don't give legal advice. Whether a claim needs an attorney depends on the rules where the money is held, not on you. If yours does, we'll tell you before you sign. The attorney is paid as a cost of the claim, out of the money recovered and before it's divided, so there is still nothing to pay up front.

That's common, and it doesn't stop a claim. Tell us on the call, and we'll tell you what shows that the old name and the new one are both you.

We ask only for what a claim needs, we never sell it, and we keep it only as long as our privacy policy says.

We won't ask you to break an agreement. Read what you signed. If you want a second opinion, we'll tell you what we can and can't do.