Every year, countless individuals lose track of their assets, leading to millions of dollars in unclaimed property lying dormant in state treasuries. In Maryland, the journey to reclaim lost assets begins with the Cot St 912 form, an essential document processed by the Comptroller of Maryland's Compliance Division. Designed to streamline the recovery of unclaimed assets, it serves as both a claim form and a checklist, ensuring you are informed of every required step and document before submission.
The checklist is organized into four main parts. Part A collects personal claimant information including full name, address, and contact details. Part B requires a clear description of the property being claimed, including the property type and the name of the reporting institution that originally held it. Part C is a documentation checklist indicating which supporting materials must accompany the claim. Part D is an affidavit section where the claimant signs under penalty of perjury to affirm the accuracy of the application.
Maryland's unclaimed property program is completely free of charge. The state does not impose any fees for returning property to its rightful owners. Maryland law makes it unenforceable to charge a recovery fee within a specified timeframe after the property has been reported. If any third party offers to recover your assets for a fee, know that you can file directly at no cost through the state program.
Once the completed claim and all required documents are submitted, the Comptroller of Maryland's Unclaimed Property Unit reviews the application. Processing times vary based on claim complexity and documentation provided. Claimants may check the status of their submission through the state's online portal at claimitmd.gov. Upon approval, the property is returned to its rightful owner. The state returns assets as cash or in their original form, depending on the nature of what is being claimed.
Maryland law defines unclaimed property as any financial asset whose owner has had no contact with the holder for a specified dormancy period, which varies by asset type. For most bank accounts, the dormancy period is three years of inactivity. Savings bonds and money orders also go dormant after three years. Stock accounts typically transfer to the state after three years without owner contact. Safe deposit box contents are turned over after five years. Once the dormancy period expires, the holder is required by law to report and remit the property to the Comptroller of Maryland's Unclaimed Property Unit.
Maryland returned more than $117 million in unclaimed property to rightful owners in a single recent fiscal year, according to the Comptroller's office. Over $1 billion in total assets currently sits in the state treasury awaiting valid claims. Because the program is entirely free and there is no deadline to file, claimants are encouraged to search the state database at claimitmd.gov and submit a claim whenever they identify property that belongs to them.
Once you have completed all four parts of the checklist and gathered your supporting documents, you may submit your claim in two ways. You can mail the completed form and all documentation to the Comptroller of Maryland, Unclaimed Property Unit, 301 West Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. You may also file online at claimitmd.gov, where the Comptroller's portal accepts digital copies of your documents. Electronic submissions are generally processed faster than paper submissions.
After submission, monitor your claim status at claimitmd.gov using the confirmation number provided. Processing times range from 30 days for straightforward, well-documented claims to 90 days or more for complex cases involving estates, trusts, or substantial asset values. The Comptroller's office may contact you if additional documentation is needed to verify your identity or ownership of the property.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Cot St 912 Form |
| Form Length | 2 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Fillable fields | 0 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 30 sec |
| Issuing authority | Comptroller of Maryland |
| Other names | maryland unclaimed property form st 912, marylandtaxes gov form st 912, maryland st 912 form, md unclaimed property form, cot st912 |