GOLD BOOK: The Check Reclamation Guide

• payee files a nonreceipt claim with the Federal agency and FMS preliminarily indicates forgery;
  
  or,
  
  
• Federal agency, which authorized the payment, requests FMS to reclaim the funds because the payee is deceased and no longer entitled to the payment.

• amount on the initial Request for Refund (Check Reclamation) which may not always be the full amount of the check;
  
  and if applicable,
  
  
• accrued interest on any unpaid reclamation item;
  
  and if applicable,
  
  
• other charges (e.g., administrative fees, penalties, etc...).

• an initial Request for Refund (Check Reclamation);
  
  and as necessary,
  
  
• An electronic or paper Summary of Debt Statement.

• a copy of the paid check;
  
  and as appropriate,
  
  
• copy of the payee's claim;
  
  and as appropriate,
  
  
• information from the Federal Reserve Bank to assist in identifying the presenting financial institution.

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Treasury CORE Operations C-Level
P.O. Box 85111
Richmond, VA, 23285

Financial Management Service
Reclamation Branch, Room 700D
PO Box 1849
Hyattsville, MD 20788

• Write a check, payable to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, for the total amount due; or,
  
  
• Authorize the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond to debit the financial institution's reserve account for the total amount due.
  
  
• Include interest, penalty and administrative fees that appear on the Summary of Debt Statement for that reclamation item, as applicable.

• check or authorizations
• Copy of the Request for Refund

to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Treasury CORE Operations C-Level
P.O. Box 85111
Richmond, VA, 23285

DO NOT SEND TO THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE.

• identifying check information
• reclamation information
• additional charges associated with the reclamation (interest, penalties, administrative fees).
• status of reclamation

• listing of outstanding reclamation(s) and associated information
• FMS Collection Regulations
• explanation of columns on the Summary of Debt Statement

• reclamation principal
• interest due
• penalty due
• administrative fee due

The financial institution can both view the statement and print the statement out. In order to receive the statement by this method complete the form (see below) and send it to the FRB Richmond either by mail at:

PDF File     Word File

The PDF file above requires Acrobat Reader to view and fill out the form online. The Acrobat Reader is free to download and use.

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Treasury CORE Operations C-Level
P.O. Box 85111
Richmond, VA 23285

Or fax the form to: TCORE at (804) 697-2607

Or e-mail the form to: CORE@rich.frb.org

Once the FRB receives and processes your form, you will begin to receive your statements electronically.

Once you have received the statement by e-mail, to print the statement, you must have Microsoft "Notepad" or similar word processing software on your personal computer.

1. Launch the e-mail attachment (If Notepad is loaded, it will open that software)
2. Choose EDIT and then verify that Word Wrap does not have a check beside it. If "Word Wrap" is selected, turn off the option.
3. Choose EDIT and then Set Font. Choose the Courier font size 8.
4. Choose FILE and then Page Setup and choose the Landscape Orientation then click OK.
5. Choose FILE and then Print.

Any questions related to this service may be directed to the FRB TCORE by e-mail at CORE@rich.frb.org or by phone at (804) 697-2605

FRB Richmond will provide the financial institutions with the following, if the Request for Refund is dated after July 10, 2000.

• a copy of the original Request for Refund (Duplicate)
• a copy of the paid check; and if appropriate
• a copy of the claim ; and if necessary
• Information used to identify the presenting financial institution.

FMS will provide the financial institutions with the following, if the Request for Refund is dated prior to July 11, 2000.

• a copy of the original Request for Refund (Duplicate)
• a copy of the paid check; and if appropriate
• a copy of the claim ; and if necessary
• Information provided by the Federal Reserve (FRB) used to identify the presenting financial institution.

Before requesting a clearer check copy, the financial institution must be aware of the following items:

• Interest, penalties and administrative fees will continue to accrue.
• FMS and FRB Richmond will only accept requests if the financial institution's stamp is not legible due to the quality of the copy. If the financial institution's stamp is illegible due to the quality of the stamp, then another copy will not be provided.
• FMS and FRB Richmond will not provide a clearer copy or duplicates if the Federal Reserve Bank assisted in identifying the financial institution. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond should be contacted for additional information. Refer to Assistance, for Federal Reserve Bank addresses and phone numbers.

Write a letter to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (FRB) to request a clearer copy of the check, a duplicate reclamation or Summary of Debt Statement if the reclamation is dated after July 10, 2000.

Write a letter to the Financial Management Service (FMS) to request a clearer copy of the check, a duplicate reclamation or Summary of Debt Statement if the reclamation is dated prior to July 11, 2000.

The letter must include the check number and the check symbol so the check can be identified on the FRB and FMS files.

Mail to:

Financial Management Service
Reclamation Branch, Room 700D
P.O. Box 1849
Hyattsville, MD 20788

or

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Treasury CORE Operations C-Level
P.O. Box 85111
Richmond, VA, 23285

Listed below are some examples of acceptable requests. Request for Refund dated prior to July 11, 2000 should be forwarded to FMS. Any Request for Refund dated after July 10, 2000 should be forwarded to the FRB of Richmond.

• Claim copy requests for non-deceased payees, if the claim was not attached.
• Duplicate reclamation requests if the original request was not received.

Requests to remove paid reclamations still appearing on the Summary of Debt Statement should be sent to the Financial Management Service (FMS).

Listed below are some examples of unacceptable requests:

• Requests that the Reclamation Branch (FMS) contact or obtain a refund from the presenting financial institution's prior endorsers.
• Requests that FMS accept restitution agreements from the negotiator.
• Requests for death certificates.
• Requests regarding checks lost in transit or source of receipt.
• Requests that the Financial Management Service debit the financial institution's account for the amount due. This should be directed to the Federal Reserve Bank.

All unacceptable requests will be returned immediately.

Write a letter to the appropriate office (FRB/FMS) stating specifically what information is needed.

The letter must include the check number and the check symbol so the check can be identified on the FRB and FMS files.

Mail to the appropriate Offices below:

Financial Management Service
Reclamation Branch, Room 700D
P.O. Box 1849
Hyattsville, MD 20788

or

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Treasury CORE Operations C-Level
P.O. Box 85111
Richmond, VA, 23285

• a written statement;
  
  and,
  
  
• supporting documentation which proves that the financial institution is not liable for the reclamation.

• signed statements from payees or other individuals.
• signature cards reflecting opening and closing dates for relevant accounts.
• deposit slips.
• account statements.
• evidence regarding the death of the payee.
• proof of benefit on the part of the payee, other than a signed statement to that effect.
• release of claim signed by the payee.
• evidence that the deceased payee's estate reimbursed the Federal agency for the full amount of the check.

Offset is a collection method in which the Federal Government withholds funds payable by the United States to the financial institution, and applies the withheld funds to a debt owed to the Government. The Financial Management Service (FMS) may initiate an offset to collect a reclamation debt by referring the debt to the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) or to another Federal agency currently making payments to the presenting financial institution. In addition, FMS may direct the Federal Reserve Bank to withhold credits from presenting financial institutions for application to a delinquent reclamation debt, a process known as Treasury Check Offset (TCO). Funds payable by the United States that may be offset include Federal tax refunds, vendor payments, and credits from the Federal Reserve Bank for a Treasury check. Refer to Section 10: Assistance for Federal Reserve Bank addresses and phone numbers.

If FMS is unable to collect an amount owed by offset, then other necessary actions may be taken to collect the amount, including referral to a private collection agency or to the Department of Justice for litigation.

• a Request for Refund (Check Reclamation) and/or accrued interest, penalties, and administrative fees relating to that reclamation remains unpaid for 120 days after the reclamation date; and,
  
  
• the presenting financial institution was sent at least one Summary of Debt Statement informing it that FMS intends to collect the reclamation by offset.

Unpaid items will be eligible for Treasury Check Offset after FMS has attempted collection through other types of offset for a period of 60 days.

Note: Reclamations which are eligible to be referred to a Federal agency for an offset are identified by a code C in the Reclamation Status column on the Summary of Debt Statement.

The Summary of Debt Statement informs the financial institution of the nature and amount of the reclamation debt and FMS' intention to collect the debt by offset. In addition, the Summary of Debt Statement advises the financial institution that it may inspect and copy FMS' records related to the reclamation debt, request a review of FMS' decision about the debt, and enter into a repayment agreement acceptable to FMS .

• paid the reclamation
  
  or,
  
  
• filed a timely protest and is not liable for the amount of the reclamation

Below is a sample of the Cumulative Notice of Discharged Debt to Banks (CCTRR343). Click on the image to see a larger view of the Notice.

• establishes the Financial Management Service's right to demand a refund from a presenting financial institution when, after the check is paid, forgery is established or the payee's entitlement stopped with his/her death.
  
  
• establishes Treasury Check Offset

• establishes the Government's right to collect debts using various collection tools, including offset
  
  
• establishes the rates at which a Federal agency must assess interest, penalties, and administrative fees on delinquent debts.

• establishes the process by which FMS will add interest, penalties and administrative fees to delinquent reclamation debts
  
  
• establishes the process by which FMS will refer reclamation debts to other Federal agencies for collection by offset
  
  
• establishes that FMS will take such action as may be necessary to collect delinquent reclamation debts.

• standards for Federal agencies when collecting by offset.
  
  
• rates at which a Federal agency must assess interest, penalties and administrative fees.

• cashing Federal Government checks to one year from the check issue date.
  
  
• filing nonreceipt claims to one year from the check issue date.
  
  
• initiating a reclamation action against the presenting financial institution to one and a half years from the date the check is paid.

FRB Richmond
Treasury CORE Operations C-Level
P.O. Box 85111
Richmond, VA, 23285
804-697-2605

FRB Houston
PO Box 2578
Houston, TX 77001
(713) 652-1589

• reclamation date
• reclamation number
• four digit check symbol number
• check serial number
• payee name
• reclamation information
• additional charges associated with the reclamation.