Securities, dividends and stock
Updated
Shares, mutual fund holdings, bond interest and dividends are reported when the transfer agent or broker cannot reach the holder. Shares in companies that were acquired, but never exchanged for the new company's shares, appear too.
How it ends up with the state
Shares received in a deal or as compensation, a brokerage account left after a move, or dividends mailed to a former address.
When the holder cannot reach the owner for the period set by law, it reports the property to the California State Controller, along with the owner's name and last known address. The Controller then holds it until the owner claims it.
The Controller's categories
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Underlying shares | $62.1M |
| Mutual fund shares | $34.8M |
| Dividends | $18.3M |
| Stock returned by the post office | $12.8M |
| Funds for liquidation | $11.1M |
What helps prove the claim
Brokerage or transfer-agent statements, deal documents, and the address on record. Every securities claim must be notarized. On top of that, every business claim needs the signer's photo ID, proof of authority to act for the business and proof of its FEIN. See the document checklist.
How we help
We search every name and address your business has used, match the records, assemble the papers and file. Our fee is 10% of what the state pays, after it pays.
Source: California State Controller unclaimed property file, records of $500 and up, dated November 4, 2026. Open records only (no claim pending or paid), owner address in California, owner = name + ZIP code, business-type names only, government names removed, owners whose records total $10,000 or more. RecoverOwed computation; classifying owners by name pattern is approximate. No individual owner is named on this site. Amounts here count only this kind of property for owners whose total across all kinds is $10,000 or more.
Common questions
Does a securities claim need a notary even for a small amount?
Yes. The Controller requires notarization of all claims that include securities, whatever their value.
Sources
- RecoverOwed analysis of the Controller's unclaimed property file (November 4, 2026)
- California State Controller - Unclaimed Property Investigator Handbook (January 2023) - linked from the Controller's unclaimed property pages