Unclaimed Money

Virginia's State Bird

It is no secret that I do not like the Commonwealth of Virginia. Having lived here since I was 5 years old, with 4 years in Washington, DC for College, I have seen Virginia do some screwy things; to me, to my husband, to my children, to the taxpayers...name a group and somewhere in Virginia the Commonwealth is trying to screw them. The weather, the history and her beauty are the only things in her favor.

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A few months ago [October 2008] I found a site for "Unclaimed Money". Y'all know these sites - you type in a little information and they search the data base to see if you have money sitting at the state's Treasury in your name [or if you have minor children, their names.]

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I was surprised to see that my son and my older daughter did have money. I filled out the appropriate forms and sent it off to the bowels of the Virginia Unclaimed Money Office. I received an email at the beginning of February - Virginia is expeditious, isnt' she?

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Each of the kids have bonds that were left to them by their paternal Grandfather. A small sum, but it is theirs. The lady I spoke with [B.B.] emailed me the forms and told me when I filled them out to mail them in. 8-10 weeks processing. Fine, whatever.

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A week later B.B. sends me another email stating she has found my name in the database and I am entitled to half of the funds and to please call her. I call. Leave a message. She calls back 10 days later.

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I ask her exactly what/where is this money from. Turns out Dominion Power failed to return our security deposit on a townhome my first husband and I owned in 1990, which we sold in 1993. Okay? The total deposit was $163.00 - woohoo - $13.00 in interest for 19 years of sitting in their bank account. I digress.

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Because here is where it became REALLY weird, but remember - this is Virginia.

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B.B. said I was entitled to 1/2 of the deposit [$81.50] and my first husband is entitled to the other.

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My first husband is deceased. [that doesn't get any easier to type] B.B. knows this because we had this discussion when we were talking about my children and their money earlier in the month.

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I ask B.B. if it is okay if I send her his Virginia Issued Death Certificate to verify, y'know, he is not A.L.I.V.E. anymore? And then I can receive the entire deposit, right? We made it together, he isn't here anymore, so it would make sense that the deposit come to me - or at least half to me and half to the kids.

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Well, yes, but NO.

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B.B. tells me that they won't accept his Death Certificate issued by Virginia. They want his newspaper obituary instead.

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HUH? I explain there wasn't one. [and there wasn't - not everyone has an obituary, right? He didn't. That is another post, but he didn't have one.]

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I begin to argue that point that Virginia issued the Death Certificate and I even have our Virginia issued marriage license, but B.B. stands firm and says I have one other option....[at this point I was thinking what? Dig him up?]

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My option, she explains, is his Funeral Program. Again, HUH? A funeral program? Something anyone can just generate, at home, on their computer and color printer? Has this woman/the state LOST their minds? I am sure I could lay my hands on a copy, but it isn't just sitting around, convenient as are his D.C. and our marriage license.

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At this point I was pretty much in tears, not for a piddly $81.50 - but I do not like dealing with Sr. being gone and this is just on the other side of ridiculous.

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I told her to forget it - I was fed up with the bureacracy and crap Virginia puts out everyday to her citizens and $163.00 isn't worth the hassle of dealing with this. I told her to donate the money [well MY half, at least] to the orphans.

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Her response? "Only if you fill out these three forms and send me his obituary/Funeral program."

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Click.