$556K In Unclaimed Funds Returned To Middletown Twp.

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The money was in a decades-old bank account.

It was held in a trust by a former township tax collector for the purpose of collecting taxes on behalf of the three taxing districts.

But now the money is coming back to the township and the Neshaminy School District.

Bucks County Controller Pamela Van Blunk recently returned over $556,000 in unclaimed funds to Neshaminy School District, Middletown Township, and Bucks County.

The school district will receive $451,785, while Middletown Township will get $33,913 and Bucks County will receive $71,167.

Van Blunk said that over a year ago, current township Tax Collector Ray Chapman received a letter from Citizens Bank advising him that over $500,000 was sitting in a bank account and would be given to the state if not claimed.

Chapman gave Van Blunk the letter. She contacted Citizens Bank and initiated an investigation to determine the rightful owners of the funds.

Van Blunk and her team of auditors discovered that the bank account was 22 years old and that fees were being withdrawn monthly.

Van Blunk thanked Chapman for his prompt attention for getting the money returned.

"Because of Ray's prudence, the tax funds were not lost to the state but instead will benefit all taxpayers living in Middletown Twp., where they were collected so many years ago," she said.

Since the Unclaimed Funds Program's inception just three years ago, Van Blunk has now returned over $1.575 million to their rightful owners. She said there is still over $1.5 million in unclaimed funds to be returned.

For more information about the Controller's Office's Unclaimed Funds program, please contact: Bucks Controller's Office: 215-348-6435.