What We Do
When a federal bankruptcy case distributes money and a payment goes unclaimed — because of an outdated address, an uncashed check, or a company that has since merged or dissolved — the funds are deposited with the United States Treasury in the custody of the bankruptcy court, where they remain until the rightful owner claims them (28 U.S.C. §§ 2041–2042).
Old Colony Recovery locates these funds, identifies the parties entitled to them, and prepares the court’s own application paperwork for the owner’s signature. We work entirely by mail and email, on a contingency basis: there is no charge of any kind unless and until the funds are recovered and delivered to you.
How It Works
- We write to you identifying the court, the case, and the approximate amount we believe you are entitled to.
- If you choose to proceed, you sign a written agreement stating our fee as a percentage and in estimated dollars. You may cancel within three business days of signing, for any reason, at no cost.
- We prepare the court’s own Application for Payment of Unclaimed Funds and supporting checklist. You sign the application personally before a notary — the court requires this of every claimant.
- The court pays you, the owner of record, directly. Payment is never made to us alone. Our fee is invoiced only after your funds have been delivered.
Required Disclosures
You can do this yourself for free. Any owner may apply for unclaimed funds directly from the court, at no charge, without using our service. We are compensated for finding funds you may not know exist and for preparing the paperwork — not for access to the court, which is free to everyone.
We are not the government. Old Colony Recovery is a private, for-profit service. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any court or government office. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice; questions about legal entitlement to funds should be directed to a licensed attorney.
Contingency only. No upfront fees, ever. If the recovery is unsuccessful, you owe nothing.
We will never ask for your banking information. The court pays you directly. Any payment details the court requires are provided on the court’s own payee form, which you may submit to the court yourself.
Verify Us
We encourage every recipient of our letters to verify independently: our letters identify the court, the case number, and the amount, along with the court’s public unclaimed-funds page and the clerk’s phone number, so you can confirm every fact without us. Our business certificate is on file with the Boston City Clerk’s Office (1 City Hall Square, Room 601, Boston · 617-635-4601) and searchable in the City’s business certificate database. We are happy to answer questions by phone or email before you sign anything.