When real property is sold at a tax-deed auction or foreclosure for more than the balance owed, the excess proceeds legally belong to the former owner of record. Vanguard Overage Group audits municipal ledgers, clears subordinate liens, and returns your funds through regulated Attorney IOLTA Trust accounts—with zero out-of-pocket cost.
We advance all legal, probate, title abstracting, and court filing expenses at our own risk.
Funds disburse strictly through insured Attorney Trust or Judicial Escrow accounts.
Includes a certified closing schedule to establish your adjusted property tax basis.
Behind every court docket and tax-sale ledger is a homeowner, retiree, or family heir who deserves their hard-earned equity back. We handle the complex legal filings so you can focus on your next chapter.
“When our family property was auctioned, we had no idea the winning bid exceeded the mortgage by over $140,000. Vanguard’s team explained every step, sent a mobile notary right to our living room, and our net check cleared through attorney escrow without a single penny paid upfront.”
“Five different ‘finders’ called me sounding like scammers. Vanguard Overage Group was the only firm that showed me the exact county docket ledger and also prepared a Form 1099-S cost basis schedule so my CPA could shield the payout from capital gains tax.”
“After my father passed, his home was sold at a tax auction and we thought the equity was gone forever. Vanguard’s probate and title specialists cleared an old HOA lien, handled the heirship affidavits at their own expense, and recovered my father’s life savings.”
You should never have to take time off work or navigate intimidating county clerk offices. Once you review your official county audit packet, we dispatch a friendly, commissioned Mobile Notary Public directly to your home, office, or favorite coffee shop for a 15-minute signing.
Inexperienced "surplus finders" file claims without auditing the property's chain of title—inadvertently alerting junior creditors. Click each priority tier below to inspect how Vanguard protects your equity.
When the referee or county officer conducts the auction, the winning third-party bid is applied first to satisfy the foreclosing plaintiff's judgment or delinquent municipal tax certificate in full. Once satisfied on the record, this tier has zero legal claim to the remaining surplus overage.
Most recovery agents hand you a check and leave you exposed to IRS Form 1099-S tax reporting on the gross auction price. Vanguard reconstructs your property's adjusted cost basis so you don't overpay taxes on your own recovered equity.
Used to calculate your IRS Form 1099-S Adjusted Cost Basis Shield.
Because your adjusted cost basis + deductible recovery fees ($542,500) exceed the auction settlement price ($525,000), your $122,500.00 net payout represents a non-taxable return of principal home equity rather than a capital gain.
Following landmark constitutional rulings protecting home equity, New York foreclosures and municipal tax actions require formal referee accounting, notice of claim filing, and judicial motion practice to release funds from the County Commissioner of Finance or State Comptroller.
Requires certified Supreme Court Order Confirming Referee Report of Sale.
Unclaimed county balances transfer to the State Comptroller OUF.
Filed via Vanguard retained foreclosure counsel & mobile notary.