PROCESS

Tax Sales Surplus Funds

A HOMEOWNER 100% HAS THE RIGHT TO FILE A CLAIM UNASSISTED!! However, this can be a very difficult process when the county lacks the staff, resources, knowledge, and publicly available documents to help homeowners or heirs file a successful claim.

That is why RuckWood Recovery is here to help. We offer extensive knowledge on the issue and inform you of ALL of your rights as a claimant so you have the best chance for success. We serve the St.Louis and St.Charles County areas.

THE BENEFITS OF USING RUCKWOOD RECOVERY:

We are local. Based in St.Louis County and experienced in county matters. We are members of the community, just like you. We are your neighbors. Please beware of out-of-town companies trying to prey on the misfortune of St.Louis citizens.

We offer in-person or video appointments, so you can speak with your claims specialist face to face. We want to get to know you, and your story prior to signing any document. Providing a personal, compassionate, and professional claims experience can mean the world. You will ALWAYS be greeted with a smiling face. Beware of companies that do not require face-to-face communication.

We handle everything!! At no point during the claims process do we require the claimant to cover any cost of document procurement, notary fees, filing fees, or attorney fees (if needed).

We communicate with the county, so you don't have to. We take the hassle out of sitting on hold with the county, waiting to speak to someone or having to deal with unknowledgeable employees. Often times a claimant will get the runaround and reach a dead end due to the lack of process on the local government's side, or lack of education among the staff.

We will only use specialized tax sale attorneys to represent you during the claims process. Finding a tax sale attorney can be a difficult task. Looking around for a Probate Attorney can be tiresome. We take the hassle out of searching.

WE DON'T GET PAID UNLESS YOU GET PAID! If a claim is denied, you owe us NOTHING! We do not ask or expect our clients to pay a dime in upfront costs.

We have the lowest price compared to other third-party contractors. Many asset recovery companies charge an unfair and exorbitant fee that cannot be justified. We feel that 30%, 40%, and higher is absolutely unreasonable! Don't be scammed by the competition.

We do all the research to make sure that your claim goes unchallenged. We search the title for any liens. Title searches can range in the hundreds of dollars, but you don't have to worry. We do that for you.

We provide all the necessary documents to file a successful claim. (Application, Affidavits, Limited POA, Service Agreement). If you can't find a certain personal document, no worries. We go to painstaking lengths to procure all the necessary documentation to prove your ownership.

We offer and accept in-person and electronic signature verification. We tailor our process to fit your busy schedule.

We give you copies of EVERYTHING. No document will ever be withheld from a claimant. We share everything we know with you and keep open communication throughout the entire claims process.

You will always be able to get ahold of your claim specialist. We keep our lines of communication open. No hold or wait times.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

RuckWood Recovery charges 20-25% of the final claim amount.

That 20-25% covers the cost of the specialist, attorney, notaries, research, title work, filing, labor, and any travel needed for document procurement.

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO HAVE?

HOMEOWNER:

Valid photo identification

Proof of property ownership at the time of sale (such as a deed)

Certificate of Sale or Redemption notice

HEIR:

Valid photo identification

Proof of property ownership at time of sale for the deceased individual (Deed)

Proof of interest in the property (Will, Beneficiary deed, Affidavit of heirship)

Copy of estate plan or trustee agreement

Certificate of sale or Redemption notice

(If you cannot find a document, no need to fret)

What Documents you can expect to sign?

Service Contract- This is a document that states what we do, claimant's rights as a homeowner or heir, and claimant's acceptance of our service.
Missouri Limited Power of Attorney- This is a limited POA giving us the ability to act as claimant's legal representative to conduct the specific task of communicating with the county to file a claim, and a legally binding promise to work in claimant's best interest. Limited Power of attorney terminates upon completion of the task.
Application for Surplus- This document is an application for the funds being held in county collections that includes all state statutory required information.
Affidavit of Heirship- If there is no will or beneficiary deed available, this document is needed to prove legal right as heir to claim available funds. This is filed with probate.
Fee Agreement- This is a document is a breakdown of payment and specific dollar amounts between claimants and RuckWood Recovery.