TAX OVERAGES: WHO CAN CLAIM? (and other questions)

[Erica Abner]

Hi all! Question 1: If a property sold in 2017 at a tax sale, and there is a surplus owed, what happens if the owner is now deceased? Can an heir claim the overage? Or is it only for living home owners? What if the heir's name is nowhere on record? How would they prove they are the heir? I have a list that says there is a surplus of $250,000 on one property, but that home owner passed away shortly after the tax sale. I'd like to get started in the overages game, but I'm unsure about this process. I saw that in Illinois, an heir can claim, but I'm unsure if this is true for all other states. Question 2: What kind of script can I use to help me convince the person on the other end of the phone that they should let me help them reclaim their overage and pay me a finder's fee? How am I to make them aware of the value of my service and prevent them from just Googling the info, filling out the form, and keeping the overage all to themselves? Question 3: Do I need a lawyer to help me in this venture? Thanks for the input!