Editing Escheat (section)

==== Transfer agents and escheatment ====
Escheatment is the process of returning lost or unclaimed property to the government of a state, for safekeeping until the owner is identified. Geographic jurisdiction of the state is determined by the last known address of the original owner. Each [[U.S. state|state]] has laws regulating escheatment, with holding periods typically ranging around five years. The legal principle behind escheatment is that all property has a legally recognized owner. Therefore, if the original owner cannot be found within a specified time, the government is presumed to be the owner.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/escheat.asp|title=Escheat|author=Investopedia Staff|date=2003-11-18|work=Investopedia|access-date=2018-01-26|language=en-US}}</ref>

Escheats are performed on a revocable basis. Thus, if property has escheated to a state but the original owner subsequently is found, escheatment is revoked and ownership of the property reverts to that original owner.