Bucks County Controller Pamela Van Blunk recently delivered good news to the Pennsbury School District when her office returned $10,000 in unclaimed funds. The discovery of these funds, part of a larger pool exceeding $1.6 million, prompted Van Blunk to personally inform the district’s CFO, Chris Berdnik. According to a Bucks County announcement, Berdnik acted swiftly, filing the necessary paperwork that led to an expedited return of the funds.
Van Blunk’s Unclaimed Funds program, launched over two years ago, aims to reunite owners with their unclaimed funds, which are often the results of transactions with county services or the courts. To date, the initiative has seen more than $720,000 returned to rightful claimants. Noticing the potential for residents and organizations to overlook these monies, Van Blunk’s office is sending out notifications to those with older unclaimed funds exceeding $50, as detailed on the county’s website.
Individuals interested in finding out whether they have unclaimed funds in Bucks County can visit the Unclaimed Funds webpage, where an “Unclaimed Funds Listing” facilitates searches for potential outstanding claims. The Controller’s Office assures claimants that they can obtain their money directly through U.S. mail, free of any service charges or fees, with a turnaround time of approximately 4-6 weeks after application and documentation verification.
Bucks County residents are also encouraged to check Pennsylvania Treasury’s Unclaimed Funds and the National Unclaimed Funds website, conveniently linked at the bottom of the Controller’s Unclaimed Funds page, to see if unclaimed funds are waiting in other jurisdictions. For additional information and updates about the Unclaimed Funds program, plus insights into the county’s financials and efforts against fraud, waste, and abuse, the public can follow the Bucks County Controller on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X, of which the handles are mentioned on the controller’s contact section.
Should there be further questions about claiming funds or about the program itself, Bucks County Controller’s Office contact information is available for direct inquiries at 215-348-6435, with the promise of support in navigating the processes a claim might entail.
