$700,000 In Unclaimed RivCo Property Tax Refunds Head To County Treasury

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Unclaimed property tax overpayments totaling in excess of $700,000 now are slated to be deposited into Riverside County's general fund. The Board of Supervisors has directed the money be deposited into the general fund, leaving no further opportunities for the funds to be claimed by would-be eligible recipients.

According to the Office of the Treasurer-Tax Collector, $704,385 in refunds from 2012 and prior tax years is bound for the treasury.

Nearly 600 individuals and businesses were listed on the treasurer-tax collector's website as eligible to receive the funds prior to the board's move, in amounts ranging from about $12 to more than $45,000 per person or entity.

The county began circulating notices in early May about the funds' availability and how the people and businesses owed should go about filing claims.

In previous years, the board postponed action on transfers to give prospective recipients additional time to file a claim. But this year, former Treasurer-Tax Collector Don Kent and board Chairman John Tavaglione decided to get the word out well in advance in the hope that taxpayers would act.

The county placed advertisements in area newspapers, posted links to county web portals and contacted some prospective claimants by letter and phone to bring attention to the fact that the money was available, according to county officials.

Under state law, the county is only obligated to hold the unclaimed funds for four years before it becomes county property.

According to the treasurer-tax collector's office, most of the refunds stem from changes in the property tax roll that occurred after a payment had been mailed, resulting in savings to the taxpayer.

When the county sends a refund check and it's returned, it's placed in a holding account.

A complete list of individuals and businesses that were eligible for refunds can be found here.

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock