Frequently Asked Questions

We may have contacted you because your name or business appears in publicly available City and County of Honolulu escheated-check records, usually for a check over $1,000. You can verify this yourself for free at Honolulu.gov by searching the payee name, check amount, or check number.

Yes. You can verify Honolulu escheated-check records directly on Honolulu.gov — search by payee name, check amount, or check number. You can also search the State of Hawaii Unclaimed Property database at unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov for additional funds. Both are free and require no account.

No. Hawaii Unclaimed Funds Recovery is a private recovery assistance service. We are not affiliated with the State of Hawaii or the City and County of Honolulu. We review public records and help people understand the recovery process — but we are a private business, not a government agency.

Honolulu escheated checks are publicly listed records from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Budget and Fiscal Services. They are checks that were issued by the City and County of Honolulu but were never cashed or recovered. You can search them at Honolulu.gov by payee name, check amount, or check number.

State unclaimed property is a separate database maintained by the State of Hawaii for abandoned or dormant property, including bank accounts, insurance proceeds, utility deposits, and more. You can search it at unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov.

A person or business may appear in one database, both, or neither. We help review both sources when appropriate.

No. You may verify and pursue claims yourself directly through the appropriate government office at no cost. For Honolulu escheated checks, visit Honolulu.gov. For State unclaimed property, visit unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov. Our service is for people who want help understanding, organizing, and pursuing the recovery process.

We welcome this question. Here's how you can verify independently:

• Search Honolulu escheated-check records yourself at Honolulu.gov — if a record exists, you'll see it directly, before ever contacting us.
• Also search the State of Hawaii Unclaimed Property database at unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov for additional funds.
• Look up our business registration with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA).
• We never ask for money upfront. Ever. If any service demands upfront payment to search for or recover unclaimed funds — that is a red flag.

It may be legitimate — or it may not be. Here's how to tell: go directly to Honolulu.gov and search the payee name, check amount, or check number mentioned in the letter. Also check unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov for State records. If a record appears in either database, the claim is public and verifiable. Never provide personal financial information or pay money in response to an unsolicited letter without first independently verifying the record through the government source. If you received a letter from us, our contact information will match our website exactly.

Yes. Avoid any service that:

• Asks for upfront payment before filing or delivering results
• Claims to have exclusive access to databases not available to the public
• Won't tell you where the record is located so you can verify it yourself
• Pressures you to sign immediately without time to review
• Asks you to pay them directly, rather than having funds go to you directly

Our fee is charged only if recovery is successful and only after the client receives funds. If we do not successfully recover your funds, you owe us absolutely nothing. Fee agreements may be subject to applicable law.

After you receive funds from the successful recovery of your claim, our fee applies. You pay our fee after receiving your funds — not before. Fee agreements may be subject to applicable law and will be detailed in any agreement we execute together.

No. We never receive, hold, or touch your funds at any point. Payments from the City and County of Honolulu or the State of Hawaii go directly to you, the rightful owner. Our fee is a separate transaction you initiate after receiving your funds.

No. Our fee is contingency-based — we only earn money when you receive money. There are no cancellation fees, no service fees, and no charges for our time if the recovery is unsuccessful.

Absolutely, and we encourage you to try. For Honolulu escheated checks, visit Honolulu.gov and contact the City and County of Honolulu Department of Budget and Fiscal Services directly. For State unclaimed property, visit unclaimedproperty.ehawaii.gov and follow the state's free claim instructions. We're here for when you want help or when the claim is complex.

From our end, we typically prepare and submit your claim within 1–2 weeks of receiving signed documents. The government agency then controls the timeline. Straightforward individual claims typically take 6–16 weeks. More complex claims (estates, businesses, multiple claimants) can take 4–12 months or longer. We monitor and follow up proactively throughout the process.

The entire process is 100% digital. You never need to visit our office. All documents are uploaded electronically. Agreements are signed with e-signatures. Notarization (when required) is completed via video call through our online notarization service. Whether you're on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, or any other island — you can complete the entire process from your phone, tablet, or computer.

It depends on your specific claim type and the source of the funds. For most individual claims:

• Government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport)
• Social Security number
• Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, lease — matching the address on the claim)

For estate claims, additional documents include death certificates, letters testamentary, or letters of administration. For business claims, you'll need business license, EIN documentation, and authorized signatory proof. We provide a complete, personalized checklist based on your specific situation during your free consultation.

Hawaii law permits finder agreements for unclaimed property. Finder fees are legal and regulated. Hawaii Revised Statutes §523A-25 sets consumer protection requirements to ensure the process is fair and transparent for State of Hawaii unclaimed property. Fee agreements for Honolulu escheated checks may also be subject to applicable law. All our agreements are detailed in writing before you sign anything.

Yes. The specific cancellation window is disclosed in your agreement. If you decide not to proceed after signing, you may cancel within that window at no cost. After the cancellation period, the terms of the agreement govern — but we're always open to a conversation if circumstances change.

If the claim is rejected, we analyze the reason and determine whether it can be corrected and resubmitted. Many rejections are due to missing or improperly formatted documentation — these are usually fixable. If a claim is ultimately unrecoverable, you owe us nothing.

Yes — estate and heir claims are one of the most common types we handle. This applies to both Honolulu escheated checks and State of Hawaii unclaimed property. The process requires documentation proving the death, your relationship to the deceased, and your legal authority to act on behalf of the estate. We guide you through exactly what's needed for your specific situation.

Yes. Businesses may have Honolulu escheated checks issued to them that were never cashed, or unclaimed property in the State database. Business claims require proof of authorized signatory status, EIN documentation, and in some cases, corporate resolutions. We handle business claims for sole proprietors, LLCs, corporations, and partnerships.

We help with:

• Honolulu escheated checks — checks issued by the City and County of Honolulu that were never cashed or recovered
• State of Hawaii unclaimed property — including dormant bank accounts, insurance proceeds, payroll checks, utility deposits, dividends, and more
• Estate and heir claims for both sources
• Business claims for both sources

Yes. Records are held until claimed — there is no expiration date on your right to recover. Our process is fully digital, so geography is no obstacle.