dormant account
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A bank account that has had no customer-initiated activity for a long period of time: A "dormant account" is a savings or checking account for which there have been no transactions, such as deposits or withdrawals, initiated by the account holder over a specified length of time, often set by state law or bank policy. Interest may still be posted by the bank automatically.
Usage
- A "dormant account" is a specific financial and legal term. It is used to describe an account that is inactive. Banks monitor these accounts, and after a legally defined period of inactivity, the funds may be turned over to the state government in a process called "escheat."
Examples
- Noun:
- The bank sent a notice that my savings account would be classified as a dormant account if I did not make a transaction soon.
- State law requires financial institutions to transfer the funds from a dormant account to the treasury after seven years of inactivity.
Advanced Usage
- "To fall dormant" / "to become dormant": Used to describe the process of an account transitioning into a dormant status.
- My old checking account became dormant after I moved abroad and didn't use it for years.
- "Reactivation of a dormant account": The process of making an inactive account active again, which may require contacting the bank and verifying identity.
- To reactivate the dormant account, you must visit a branch with two forms of ID.
Variants and Related Words
- Dormancy (n): The state of being dormant or inactive.
- The account's dormancy lasted for over a decade.
- Inactive account (n): A more general term for an account with little or no activity; it may not yet have reached the legal threshold to be considered "dormant."
- Escheat (n/v): The legal process where unclaimed property, such as funds from a dormant account, reverts to the state.
Synonyms
- Inactive account: An account with no recent transactions.
- Abandoned account: An account perceived to be left behind or forgotten by the owner (this term may have specific legal implications).
Notes on Meaning
- The key aspect of a "dormant account" is the lack of customer-initiated activity. Automated actions by the bank, like crediting interest, do not count as activity that prevents dormancy.
- The specific timeframe (e.g., 1 year, 3 years, 5 years) after which an account is declared dormant varies by jurisdiction and institution.
Noun
- a savings account showing no activity (other than posting interest) for some specified period
- the dormant account reverted to the state under escheat laws