Frequently Asked Questions

Tax deed sales are property auctions conducted by counties in the state to recoup unpaid taxes and associated fees and interest penalties.

If an owner does not pay their property taxes for a single year or more, the county has the right after two years from the year of the unpaid bill to place the property up for auction in a tax deed sale. However, the county is not required to do so and sometimes it is only after many years since the delinquent tax bill that the property is put up for sale at auction.

The county is required to notify the owners of an upcoming sale. However, it is only required to mail notice to the address on file with the tax collector or tax appraiser. Counties are not required to search for a current address or undertake more extensive means to locate a property owner.

The opening bid for each property in a tax deed sale represents the amount of money that the county must recoup--which includes all outstanding taxes, interest, penalties and fees. Any amount beyond that paid by the winning bidder is considered surplus. Surplus monies are held by the county. The owner, along with mortgage holders and other lienholders, are notified by means of addresses on record. Surplus funds are held by the county for one year. Afterwards, they are transferred to the state.

At Jupiter Asset Recovery we are dedicated to recovering tax auction surplus funds for our clients and preventing unrightful claimants from collecting a portion or all your funds. We have decades of experience in this field, and an unblemished reputation for reliability, honesty and excellence. The counties holding these funds are not expert in assisting owners/claimants and are limited in their obligations (and knowledge) in providing guidance. Working with us best ensures success.

Our staff are experienced at using internet and software technologies to locate owners and/or family members. We also make use of information provided by the counties in contacting clients.

Once you have decided to use Jupiter Asset Recovery to assist you in recovering your surplus claim, we prepare all the documents and hire a notary in your area to meet with you to formally sign the agreement. The notary then returns the documents to us and we prepare and submit all necessary paperwork to the county. If a probate is necessary, we hire the specializing attorney to coordinate with you and with us to initiate the legal process.

Jupiter Asset Recovery is only paid when we succeed in retrieving your surplus money. Our payment is a percentage of that retrieved surplus agreed to in contract with the client. All costs in the process are paid by us out of that percentage. There are no out of pocket costs to our clients.

The state requires counties to wait a mandatory 120 days from time of auction sale and surplus notification to disperse funds.

Properties are purchased at tax deed auction by individuals, investors and by companies and larger investment firms. Once the winning auction bid is paid, a tax deed is issued by the county and the purchaser becomes the legal owner of the property. If you want to purchase the property back these buyers must be contacted and will want a profit on their investment.

Jupiter Asset Recovery is expert in this process. We work with all counties in Florida that conduct tax deed auctions. Since we are only paid if we succeed in recovering your surplus, we have every incentive to be efficient, effective and successful on your behalf.

Florida Statute 197.582 determines the process by which surplus funds are claimed and disbursed to government and non government lienholders and property owners. Claimants other than the owner(s) have a deadline of 120 days to submit notarized claims.

Probate means "prove" in Latin. If the owner of the property is deceased it is necessary to undertake a court supervised probate process to identify the decedent's assets and debts, to recognize beneficiaries (rightful heirs) and to distribute assets to those beneficiaries. Before counties will release surpluses from tax deed sales to the heirs of a deceased owner, a probate needs to be undertaken and judgment submitted. Jupiter Asset Recovery oversees the entire process, including hiring a lawyer specializing in probates who prepares the documents and works with the court. A probate usually takes one-to-two months (depending on the number of parties involved) from initiation to submission of court judgment to the county for surplus claim.

While in non-probate cases it is certainly possible to submit a surplus claim by yourself, Jupiter Asset Recovery's experience and expertise ensures the best result in dealing with the challenges of the process:  various document requirements, competing and fraudulent claims, statutory time limits and other administrative issues. We work directly with the county retaining the surplus address all claims processing issues, monitor status changes and do everything else necessary to ensure you receive your surplus money.