The process in Arkansas mandates holders of certain types of unreturned assets to remit them to the state’s Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt program after a specified dormancy period. These assets can include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten security deposits, and contents of safe deposit boxes. For example, if a bank account has been inactive for a certain number of years, the financial institution is required to report and transfer the funds to the state for safekeeping until the rightful owner claims them.
This system benefits both the owners of lost or forgotten assets and the state. Owners have the opportunity to reclaim their property, often without realizing they had lost it. The state utilizes the temporarily held funds for public benefit, returning them immediately upon a validated claim. Established under the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, this framework provides a consistent approach nationwide for the management of unclaimed property, fostering transparency and accountability.