ADAMS LAW USA

Federal Asset Recovery for Businesses and Individuals

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Federal agencies and federal courts are sitting on billions of dollars in dormant funds owed to businesses and individuals.

Agencies and courts do try to reach owners, but addresses go stale, owners pass away, and businesses close. So the money sits there, most of it earning nothing for you.

Adams Law USA locates unclaimed federal funds, verifies them, and recovers them for individuals, heirs, and businesses.

Federal Unclaimed Funds, Handled by an Attorney

Most unclaimed funds discussions stop at "search your name online."

We focus on what it actually takes to get paid.

Effective recovery requires understanding:

  • how federal agencies verify ownership
  • when a federal court order is required to release funds
  • how heirship and estate authority are proven
  • how dissolved businesses reclaim their money
  • which federal source is holding what

Adams Law USA combines a thorough search with the documentation and legal follow-through that claims require.

  • Federal court funds28 U.S.C. §§ 2041–2042. Money deposited in a U.S. court can be withdrawn only by court order. Funds unclaimed for five years are moved to the U.S. Treasury, and a claimant must then petition the court with full proof of the right to them.
  • Bankruptcy dividends11 U.S.C. § 347(a). Distribution checks still uncashed 90 days after the final distribution are paid into the bankruptcy court, where the creditor can still claim them.
  • Federal agenciesThere is no single federal unclaimed property database. Funds are spread across the Treasury, IRS, HUD, PBGC, FDIC, NCUA, and others.
  • Representation nationwide5 U.S.C. § 500(b). A lawyer in good standing with any state bar may represent people before most federal agencies by filing a written declaration with the agency. Some agencies have their own accreditation or fee rules.

Where Are Federal Unclaimed Funds Held?

Time Matters

Federal funds rarely disappear, but they move and lose value. Knowing where the money is now is part of the job.

Federal Court Funds

Registry funds left unclaimed for at least five years are deposited into the U.S. Treasury. They can still be claimed, but only by petitioning the court with full proof of the right to them, and records get harder to trace as years pass.

28 U.S.C. § 2042

Savings Bonds

Savings bonds never expire, but once they mature they stop earning interest. Every year a matured bond sits unredeemed is a year of lost value, and heirs often don't know the bonds exist.

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Recover Your Federal Funds in Only Three Steps

STEP 1

Gather Information

Have a few details ready so we can search every federal source:

  • Full legal name, plus any former or maiden names
  • Business legal name, DBAs
  • For an estate: the decedent's name, date of death, and your relationship
  • Phone number and/or email address
STEP 2

Get a Free Review

Click the button below and leave your name and email. It takes about 30 seconds, and we handle the rest by email, or by phone if you'd like a free consultation.

If you have questions before or after completing it, email us at jadams@adamslawusa.com.

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STEP 3

We File Your Claim and Follow Through

We verify what is owed, prepare the claim and proof of ownership, and submit it to the federal agency or federal court on your behalf. When a court order is required, we prepare and file the petition.

We track the claim, respond to requests for more documentation, and keep you updated until the funds are paid.

No Upfront Attorney's Fee

Fee terms are set out in a written agreement before any work begins, including whether you are responsible for costs such as court filing fees.

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About Us

An attorney-led approach to federal unclaimed funds recovery

JRA

James R. Adams

Principal, Adams Law USA

25Years licensed
NevadaLicensed in Nevada
$0Upfront attorney's fee
  • Federal admissionU.S. District Court, District of Nevada; authorized to practice before the U.S. Tax Court
  • Professional membershipAssociation of Trial Lawyers of America (now the American Association for Justice)
  • Practice scopeFederal unclaimed funds
  • OfficeLas Vegas, Nevada

Why an Attorney?

James R. Adams is the founder and principal attorney of Adams Law USA. He has been licensed to practice law in Nevada for 25 years, is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada and the Nevada courts, and is authorized to practice before the U.S. Tax Court. He is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now the American Association for Justice). Federal law allows a lawyer in good standing with any state bar to represent people before most federal agencies, which is why his recovery practice focuses on federal funds.

Before founding his practice, Mr. Adams owned and operated multiple businesses, including a multi-state mortgage banking company and a large Nevada business brokerage firm. That background gives him a practical understanding of how money moves through companies, lenders, and courts, and where it gets stranded.

Mr. Adams has handled roughly 400 business and real estate litigation matters and has managed more than 100 court-appointed receiverships. He also served as lead counsel in the Nevada Supreme Court case Cadle Co. v. Woods & Erickson, LLP.

Many unclaimed funds claims require more than a form: proof of heirship, authority to act for a dissolved company, or a petition asking a court to release funds. That is where an attorney's help can matter.

Mr. Adams earned his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, a Master's degree in Communications from Pepperdine University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Loyola Marymount University.

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Who We Help

Individuals

People owed money by a federal agency or a federal court, often after a move, a paid-off mortgage, a closed bank, or a case they lost track of.

Heirs & Estates

Families claiming savings bonds, court funds, or other federal money that belonged to a relative who has passed away, where proving the right to inherit is the hard part.

Businesses

Companies, including dissolved or merged entities, owed bankruptcy dividends, court-held funds, or federal refunds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers about federal unclaimed funds

Federal funds: money held by federal courts, including bankruptcy courts, and by federal agencies such as the Treasury, IRS, HUD, PBGC, FDIC, and NCUA.
Common sources include unclaimed federal court registry funds, unclaimed bankruptcy dividends, matured U.S. savings bonds, undelivered IRS refunds, HUD/FHA mortgage insurance refunds, PBGC pension benefits, deposits from failed banks and credit unions still held by the FDIC or NCUA.
Money held by a federal court is released only by court order, and the claimant must prove their right to it. That usually means a written petition, supporting evidence, and sometimes proof of heirship or corporate authority.
Mr. Adams is admitted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. Federal courts in other districts have their own admission rules, so we will tell you whether we can appear in that court or whether you should file directly or use a lawyer admitted there.
Generally, yes. Federal law allows a lawyer in good standing with any state bar to represent people before most federal agencies, so those claims do not depend on where you live. Some agencies have their own accreditation or fee rules, and we will tell you if one applies to your claim.
No. We are a private Nevada law firm and are not affiliated with any federal agency or court.
Public records show federal funds that appear to belong to you, your business, or a relative's estate. Agencies and courts do try to notify owners, but their notices often go to old addresses.
There is no upfront attorney's fee. Fee terms are set out in a written agreement before any work begins, including whether you are responsible for costs such as court filing fees or certified records, and never exceed what the law allows. Some federal agencies limit how representatives may charge for certain claims; if one applies, we will tell you before you sign anything.
Usually a government-issued ID, proof of the address or account connected to the funds, and, for estates or businesses, documents showing your authority to act. We collect sensitive documents securely, never through the website form.
It depends on the source. Some federal agency claims can pay within weeks. Claims requiring a court order can take several months.
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Contact Us

Questions about a letter or a claim? We're glad to help.

Phone

561-430-8584

Email

jadams@adamslawusa.com

Our Office

10161 Park Run Drive, Suite 150
Las Vegas, NV 89145

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