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can take up to three weeks, because after the Treasurer's office processes the claim, it goes to the State Auditor for issuance of the check.
•  It may only take one to two days at the Treasurer's office, she said, but once it gets to the Auditor's office, it has to be checked and placed on their payment schedule. If either office is experiencing high volume, it can take the three-week span.
•  If there are any problems in locating information, however, it can take longer. That is especially true when it involves someone who has died, DeJabet noted, and heirs are trying to locate the required information.
•  However, using the department's Internet site, www.sdtreasurer.gov, can greatly speed up the process, with the key being to have the right information to submit.
•  If after searching the list at the site, and finding property, there is a claim form to complete. Print the form and sign it, photocopy the requested documentation, and mail it to the State Treasurer's Office. A search can also be requested by phone, calling the division at 1-866-357-2547, or emailing at unclaimed@sdtreasurer.gov.
•  Written requests for searches may be sent to State Treasurer Rich Sattgast, Unclaimed Property Division, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre SD 57501. Items to include are your legal name, prior name if it has changed, current mailing address and phone number. If a search of someone else's name is requested, the relationship with that person must be included.
•  "It's good to do the Internet search," reminded Sattgast, since the ad listing in the newspapers is only the current year.
•  There also is a dollar limit for those listed in the ads, said DeJabet. The website, she said, lists everything $10 and up. Typically, she said, if a claim is made, the staff will check also to see if there is anything under $10.
•  "So, then you'll find that $1.83 dividend," DeJabet added, "and we'll attach it."
•  Currently, Sattgast said, nothing under the $50 limit is listed in the advertisement. Come July 1, when new legislation goes into effect, that limit will increase to $125.
•  But the website still will have everything $10 and up, DeJabet said, and "we have the ability to change that limit." However, the problem with seeing that mythical $1.18, she said, is that people will see that and won't act on it.
•  If a claim form is not returned in 120 days, DeJabet said, and no response received to the reminder sent out halfway through, "we will drop your claim, because as you can imagine, we get thousands of claims and they will remain open and in our system if we don't have a deadline."
•  It always can be refiled, said Sattgast, adding, "these properties are in perpetuity--there is no deadline that they no longer belong to the person."

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