177.18 Notice and publication of lists of abandoned or escheated property.

(1) Before July 1 of each year, the administrator shall publish on an Internet site maintained by the administrator a notice of the names of persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property. Except as provided in sub. (1m), the notice shall include the name and last-known address of each person identified in a report filed under s. 177.17 since the publication of the previous notice. The administrator shall also publish the notice as a class 1 notice under ch. 985, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which is located the last-known address of the person to be named in the notice. If no address is listed or the address is outside this state, the notice shall be published in the county in which the holder of the property has its principal place of business within this state.

(1g) In addition to any notice required under sub. (1), the administrator shall also publish, in the notice described under sub. (1), the name and last-known address of each owner of a U.S. savings bond that has been presumed abandoned under s. 177.135 since the publication of the previous notice.

(1m) If the address of a person to be named in a notice under sub. (1) is outside this state, and if the administrator has entered into an agreement under s. 177.33 (1) with the state in which the address is located, the administrator may omit the information specified in sub. (2) with respect to that person from the notice published under sub. (1).

(2) A notice under sub. (1) shall contain all of the following:

(a) The names in alphabetical order and last-known address, if any, of persons listed in the report and entitled to notice within the county as specified in sub. (1).

(b) A statement that information concerning the property and the name and last-known address of the holder may be obtained by any person possessing an interest in the property by addressing an inquiry to the administrator.

(2m) For money or other property received under s. 852.01 (3), 863.37 (2) or 863.39 (1), a notice shall be published at least annually in the official state newspaper and shall include the name of the decedent, the time and place of the decedent's death, the amount paid to the administrator, the name of the decedent's personal representative, the county in which the estate is probated and a statement that the money will be paid to the heirs or legatees without interest, on proof of ownership, if claimed within 10 years from the date of publication as provided in s. 863.39 (3).

(3) The administrator is not required to publish notice of any item with a value of less than $50 unless the administrator determines the publication to be in the public interest.

(4) This section does not apply to sums payable on travelers checks, money orders and other written instruments presumed abandoned under s. 177.04.

History: 1983 a. 408; 1991 a. 39, 299; 2001 a. 16; 2013 a. 308; 2015 a. 309.