Fees
What it costs, stated before you ask.
A company that will not tell you its fee until it has your information is a company you should not hire. Here is ours.
Unclaimed property
10% of the amount actually recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe us nothing.
Surplus funds
Up to 15% of the amount actually recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe us nothing.
Third-party costs
Some matters require services we do not provide ourselves — certified copies of records, notarization, court filing fees, or the involvement of licensed legal counsel. Where those costs apply, they are identified, explained, and agreed in writing before they are incurred. We do not spend your money without asking first.
No fee before recovery
We do not charge an up-front fee, a retainer, a search fee, or an administrative fee to begin. We are paid out of what is recovered, and only if something is.
Everything in writing, first
No work begins until you have signed an agreement setting out the scope, the fee, and what each side is responsible for. You will have it in front of you before you decide.
Agreements are signed electronically through DocuSign. Documents requiring notarization can be notarized remotely through an online notary. You will not need to travel, print, or mail anything.
Legal matters
If a matter requires legal representation — a filing with a court, a probate proceeding — we work with licensed legal counsel. We do not provide legal services and we do not represent anyone in court.
In many cases you can search for and claim property directly, through the official program, at no cost. That option remains open to you whether or not you speak with us, and we will tell you when we think it is the right one.
Questions people ask
Do I pay anything if you do not recover the money?
No. Our fee is a percentage of what is actually recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe us no fee. Third-party costs, if any were agreed in advance, are handled as set out in your written agreement.
Can you guarantee I will get the money?
No, and no one honestly can. The office holding the property decides whether a claim is approved. We can prepare the strongest, most complete claim the facts support. We cannot decide the outcome.
How long does it take?
It depends on the jurisdiction and the complexity of the case, and it is not up to us. Some reviews take weeks; some take much longer. We will not give you a date we cannot control.
Will you ask for my Social Security number?
Not to start, and never through this website, by unsolicited email, or by unsolicited phone call. If a claim you have chosen to pursue eventually requires identifying information, that is handled through the official claim process — and by then you will have a signed agreement, and you will know exactly who you are dealing with.
Are you the government?
No. ZMelt LLC is a private company, licensed as a private investigation agency by the Iowa Department of Public Safety. We are not a state treasury, a court, a county office, or any government program, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by one.
Do you accept every case?
No. We decline matters that are outside our authority, that cannot be verified, or where the work would cost more than the recovery is worth. We would rather tell you that at the start than take your time.
Talk to us
A first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. If we think you should handle it yourself, we will tell you.