2019 Delaware Code
Title 12 - Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations
Chapter 11. Escheats
Subchapter II Unclaimed Property
§ 1183 Interest and penalties.
(a) Interest at 0.5% per month on outstanding unpaid amounts accrues from the date the amounts or property were due under this chapter until paid. Interest due in accordance with this subsection may not exceed 50% of the amount required to be paid. Penalties under subsections (b), (c), or (d) of this section are not interest for purposes of this subsection. This subsection applies to any late-filed unclaimed property that is reported and remitted on or after July 1, 2017.
(1) Under § 1173 of this title, the Secretary of State possesses the authority to waive interest under this section on outstanding unpaid amounts reported through the Secretary of State’s voluntary disclosure program.
(2) Interest is waived for any holder who has filed the holder’s intent in accordance with § 1172(c) of this title to enter a Department of Finance expedited examination process within 60 days of the adoption of regulations under § 1176(b) of this title if the holder acts in good faith to complete the examination.
(b) If a person fails to file any report required by this chapter on or before the due date prescribed for the report, determined with regard to any extension of time for filing, unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, the person shall add to the amount of unclaimed property required to be shown on the report the lesser of 5% of the amount thereof if the failure is not for more than 1 month, with an additional 5% for each additional month or fraction thereof during which such failure continues, not to exceed 50% in the aggregate or a civil penalty of $100 for each day the report is withheld or the duty is not performed, but not more than $5,000.
(c) If a person fails to pay the amount of unclaimed property required to be shown on any report required by this chapter on or before the due date prescribed for the payment of such property, determined with regard to any extension of time for payment, unless it is shown that such failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, the person shall add to the amount of such property required to be shown on any report 0.5% of the amount of such property if the failure is for not more than 1 month, with an additional 0.5% for each additional month or fraction thereof during which such failure continues, not to exceed 25% in the aggregate. For purposes of this subsection, the amount of property shown on any report is to be reduced by the amount of any property which is paid on or before the beginning of the month for which a calculation is made under this subsection.
(d) If any part of a deficiency in payment of unclaimed property required to be shown on any report is due to fraud, the person must add to the property required to be shown on the report an amount equal to 75% of the portion of the deficiency in payment which is attributable to fraud. The penalty prescribed by this subsection applies only in cases where a report of unclaimed property is filed and only to that part of the deficiency in payment the State Escheator establishes is due to fraud or willful misrepresentation
12 Del. C. 1953, § 1207; 58 Del. Laws, c. 426, § 12; 63 Del. Laws, c. 311, § 3; 68 Del. Laws, c. 122, § 6; 73 Del. Laws, c. 417, § 2; 79 Del. Laws, c. 278, § 1; 80 Del. Laws, c. 114, § 2; 81 Del. Laws, c. 1, § 2; 81 Del. Laws, c. 48, § 6.
