Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-1302

Current with changes through the 2024 First Special Legislative Session

Section 69-1302 - Property held or owing by a banking or financial organization or business association; presumed abandoned; when

The following property held or owing by a banking or financial organization or by a business association is presumed abandoned:

(a) Any demand, savings, or matured time deposit that is not automatically renewable made in this state with a banking organization, together with any interest or dividends thereon, excluding any charges that may lawfully be withheld, unless the owner has, within five years:

(1) Increased or decreased the amount of the deposit, or presented the passbook or other similar evidence of the deposit for the crediting of interest or dividends; or

(2) Corresponded in writing with the banking organization concerning the deposit; or

(3) Otherwise indicated an interest in the deposit as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the banking organization; or

(4) Owned other property to which subdivision (a)(1), (2), or (3) applies and if the banking organization corresponds in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be presumed abandoned under subdivision (a) of this section at the address to which correspondence regarding the other property regularly is sent; or

(5) Had another relationship with the banking organization concerning which the owner has:

(i) Corresponded in writing with the banking organization; or

(ii) Otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the banking organization and if the banking organization corresponds in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be abandoned under subdivision (a) of this section at the address to which correspondence regarding the other relationship regularly is sent.

(b) Any funds paid in this state toward the purchase of shares or other interest in a financial organization or any deposit that is not automatically renewable, including a certificate of indebtedness that is not automatically renewable, made therewith in this state, and any interest or dividends thereon, excluding any charges that may lawfully be withheld, unless the owner has within five years:

(1) Increased or decreased the amount of the funds or deposit, or presented an appropriate record for the crediting of interest or dividends; or

(2) Corresponded in writing with the financial organization concerning the funds or deposit; or

(3) Otherwise indicated an interest in the funds or deposit as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the financial organization; or

(4) Owned other property to which subdivision (b)(1), (2), or (3) applies and if the financial organization corresponds in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be presumed abandoned under subdivision (b) of this section at the address to which correspondence regarding the other property regularly is sent; or

(5) Had another relationship with the financial organization concerning which the owner has:

(i) Corresponded in writing with the financial organization; or

(ii) Otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the financial organization and if the financial organization corresponds in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be abandoned under this subdivision (b) of this section at the address to which correspondence regarding the other relationship regularly is sent.

(c) A holder may not, with respect to property described in subdivision (a) or (b) of this section, impose any charges solely due to dormancy or cease payment of interest solely due to dormancy unless there is a written contract between the holder and the owner of the property pursuant to which the holder may impose reasonable charges or cease payment of interest or modify the imposition of such charges and the conditions under which such payment may be ceased. A holder of such property who imposes charges solely due to dormancy may not increase such charges with respect to such property during the period of dormancy. The contract required by this subdivision may be in the form of a signature card, deposit agreement, or similar agreement which contains or incorporates by reference (1) the holder's schedule of charges and the conditions, if any, under which the payment of interest may be ceased or (2) the holder's rules and regulations setting forth the holder's schedule of charges and the conditions, if any, under which the payment of interest may be ceased.

(d)

(1) Any time deposit that is automatically renewable, including a certificate of indebtedness that is automatically renewable, made in this state with a banking or financial organization, together with any interest thereon, seven years after the expiration of the initial time period or any renewal time period unless the owner has, during such initial time period or renewal time period:

(i) Increased or decreased the amount of the deposit, or presented an appropriate record or other similar evidence of the deposit for the crediting of interest;

(ii) Corresponded in writing with the banking or financial organization concerning the deposit;

(iii) Otherwise indicated an interest in the deposit as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the banking or financial organization;

(iv) Owned other property to which subdivision (d)(1)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section applies and if the banking or financial organization corresponds in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be presumed abandoned under subdivision (d) of this section at the address to which correspondence regarding the other property regularly is sent; or

(v) Had another relationship with the banking or financial organization concerning which the owner has:

(A) Corresponded in writing with the banking or financial organization; or

(B) Otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the banking or financial organization and if the banking or financial organization corresponds in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be abandoned under subdivision (d) of this section at the address to which correspondence regarding the other relationship regularly is sent.

(2) If, at the time provided for delivery in section 69-1310, a penalty or forfeiture in the payment of interest would result from the delivery of a time deposit subject to subdivision (d) of this section, the time for delivery shall be extended until the time when no penalty or forfeiture would result.

(e) Any sum payable on checks certified in this state or on written instruments issued in this state on which a banking or financial organization or business association is directly liable, including, by way of illustration but not of limitation, certificates of deposit that are not automatically renewable, drafts, money orders, and traveler's checks, that, with the exception of money orders and traveler's checks, has been outstanding for more than five years from the date it was payable, or from the date of its issuance if payable on demand, or, in the case of (i) money orders, that has been outstanding for more than seven years from the date of issuance and (ii) traveler's checks, that has been outstanding for more than fifteen years from the date of issuance, unless the owner has within five years, or within seven years in the case of money orders and within fifteen years in the case of traveler's checks, corresponded in writing with the banking or financial organization or business association concerning it, or otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the banking or financial organization or business association.

(f) 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. If the State Treasurer or his or her designee determines after investigation that any delivered property has insubstantial commercial value, the State Treasurer or his or her designee may destroy or otherwise dispose of the property at any time. No action or proceeding may be maintained against the state or any officer or against the banking or financial organization for or on account of any action taken by the State Treasurer pursuant to this subdivision.

(g) For the purposes of this section failure of the United States mails to return a letter, duly deposited therein, first-class postage prepaid, to the last-known address of an owner of tangible or intangible property shall be deemed correspondence in writing and shall be sufficient to overcome the presumption of abandonment created herein. A memorandum or writing on file with such banking or financial organization shall be sufficient to evidence such failure.

Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-1302

Laws 1969, c. 611, § 2, p. 2479; Laws 1977, LB 305, § 1; Laws 1992, Third Spec. Sess., LB 26, § 4; Laws 2021, LB 532, § 3.

Amended by Laws 2021, LB 532,§ 3, eff. 8/28/2021.