The following property held or owing by a banking or financial organization or by a business association is presumed abandoned:
 1. Any demand, savings, or matured time deposit made in this state with a banking organization, together with any interest or dividend, excluding any charges that may lawfully be withheld, unless the owner has, within three years:

 a. Increased or decreased the amount of the deposit, or presented the passbook or other similar evidence of the deposit for the crediting of interest.
 b. Corresponded in writing with the banking organization concerning the deposit.
 c. Otherwise indicated an interest in the deposit as evidenced by a memorandum on file with the banking organization. Such memorandum shall be dated and may have been prepared by the banking organization, in which case it shall be signed by an official of the bank, or it may have been prepared by the owner.
 d. Had another relationship with the bank in which the owner has:

 (1) Communicated in writing with the bank.
 (2) Otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the bank and if the bank communicates in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be abandoned under this subsection at the address to which communications regarding the other relationship are regularly sent.
 e. Been sent any written correspondence, notice, or information by first class mail regarding the deposit by the banking organization on or after July 1, 1992, if the correspondence, notice, or information requests an address correction on the face of the envelope, and is not returned to the bank organization for nondelivery, and if the bank organization maintains a record of all returned mail.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 556.2

  • Banking organization: means any bank, trust company, savings bank, savings association, industrial bank, land bank, safe deposit company, or a private banker engaged in business in this state. See Iowa Code 556.1
  • Business association: means a corporation, cooperative association, joint stock company, business trust, investment company, partnership, limited liability company, trust company, mutual fund, or other business entity consisting of one or more persons, whether or not for profit. See Iowa Code 556.1
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Financial organization: means any federally chartered savings and loan association, credit union, cooperative bank or investment company, engaged in business in this state. See Iowa Code 556.1
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Owner: means a depositor in case of a deposit, a beneficiary in case of a trust, a creditor, claimant, or payee in case of other choses in action, or any person having a legal or equitable interest in property subject to this chapter, or that person's legal representative. See Iowa Code 556.1
  • Property: means a fixed and certain interest in or right in an intangible that is held, issued, or owed in the course of a holder's business, or by a government or governmental entity, and all income or increment therefrom, including that which is referred to as or evidenced by any of the following:
     (1) Money, check, draft, deposit, interest, dividend, and income. See Iowa Code 556.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. Any funds paid in this state toward the purchase of shares or other interest in a financial organization or any deposit made in this state, and any interest or dividends, excluding any charges that may lawfully be withheld, unless the owner has within three years:

 a. Increased or decreased the amount of the funds or deposit, or presented an appropriate record for the crediting of interest or dividends.
 b. Corresponded in writing with the financial organization concerning the funds or deposit.
 c. Otherwise indicated an interest in the funds or deposit as evidenced by a memorandum on file with the financial organization. Such memorandum shall be dated and may have been prepared by the financial organization, in which case it shall be signed by an officer of the financial organization, or it may have been prepared by the owner.
 d. Had another relationship with the financial organization in which the owner has:

 (1) Communicated in writing with the financial organization.
 (2) Otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the financial organization and if the financial organization communicates in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be abandoned under this subsection at the address to which communications regarding the other relationship are regularly sent.
 e. Been sent any written correspondence, notice, or information by first class mail regarding the funds or deposits by the financial organization on or after July 1, 1992, if the correspondence, notice, or information requests an address correction on the face of the envelope, and is not returned to the financial organization for nondelivery, and if the financial organization maintains a record of all returned mail.
 3. Any property described in subsections 1 and 2 which is automatically renewable is matured for purposes of subsections 1 and 2 upon the expiration of its initial time period, but in the case of any renewal to which the owner consents at or about the time of renewal by communicating in writing with the banking or financial organization or otherwise indicating consent as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the organization, the property is matured upon the expiration of the last time provided for which consent was given. However, consent to renewal is deemed to have been given if the owner is sent written notice of the renewal by first class mail which requests an address correction on the face of the envelope, the notice is not returned for nondelivery, and the banking or financial organization maintains a record of all returned mail. If at the time period for delivery in section 556.13, a penalty or forfeiture in the payment of interest would result from the delivery of the property, the time period for delivery is extended until the time when no penalty or forfeiture would result.
 4. Any funds or other personal property, tangible or intangible, removed from a safe deposit box or any other safekeeping repository or agency or collateral deposit box in this state on which the lease or rental period has expired due to nonpayment of rental charges or other reason, or any surplus amounts arising from the sale thereof pursuant to law, that have been unclaimed by the owner for more than three years from the date on which the lease or rental period expired.
 5. a. A banking organization or financial organization shall send to the owner of each account, to which none of the actions specified in subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “e” or subsection 2, paragraphs “a” through “e” have occurred during the preceding three calendar years, a notice by certified mail stating in substance the following:

 According to our records, we have had no contact with you regarding (describe account) for more than three years. Under Iowa law, if there is a period of three years without contact, we may be required to transfer this account to the custody of the treasurer of state of Iowa as unclaimed property. You may prevent this by taking some action, such as a deposit or withdrawal, which indicates your interest in this account or by signing this form and returning it to us.  I desire to keep the above account open and active. ………………………………Your signature
 b. The notice required under this section shall be mailed within thirty days of the lapse of the three-year period in which there is no activity. The cost of the certified mail of the notice required in this section may be deducted from the account by the banking or financial organization.
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