Capital credits are just one big benefit of being a member of our co-op, one that LITERALLY pays you for being a member. Since you're part owner of your REMC, you share in its success!
To see if you are on the list of unclaimed capital credits, search by last name using the alphabetical listings below.
A capital credit is your portion of patronage in our company. Since we are a not-for-profit entity, any profits we make (referred to as margins) are returned to you, the member, in a portion of what you paid for the year.
The amount of capital credits you earn in a given year is based upon the amount of capital you contribute to the co-op through payment of your monthly bills. The more electric service you buy, the greater your capital credits account. The sum of your monthly bills for a year is multiplied by a percentage to determine your capital credits.
Allocated capital credits appear as an entry on the permanent financial records of the co-op and reflect your equity or ownership in Steuben County REMC. When capital credits are retired, a check or bill credit is issued to you and your equity in the co-op is reduced.
The percentage of your total payment that is allocated as capital credits varies from year to year, depending upon the amount of profits recognized on the REMC’s income statement. Capital credits are only allocated for a year in which the REMC had a profit. Since capital credits are a member’s share of the profits, no credits are allocated for a year without any profit.
In essence, there are two different pools of money; one from the cooperative itself, and one from Wabash Valley Power, our G&T, who is also a cooperative. We, the REMC, are the members of Wabash Valley. When their board decides to retire capital credits to us, we turn around and distribute them to you.
Capital credits are not retired all at once. Our board reviews our financial situation and allocates a certain amount of money to be 'retired' each year, and sometimes twice annually. Current members with active accounts will see their capital credits applied as a bill credit; inactive members will receive a check in the mail to the last known address we have on file. Any checks that are not cashed or claimed within three years will be published in our escheat listing in an attempt to find the person; if not claimed within 60 days of that publication, the checks are then rolled back into the general fund for redistribution to other members.
The rightful heir or executor of the estate should contact the office to claim the funds. They will need to fill out some paperwork in order to do so.
Unclaimed capital credits are checks for former or current members that have not been cash. A list is published to notify those member that they have unclaimed funds. You can see the current list here.
Do we owe you money?
Most refunds are returned to the cooperative because we do not have a current mailing address or contact information for the former member. To see if you are on the list of unclaimed capital credits, simply enter your last name and search our records for all unclaimed capital credits. If your name is on the list, complete the form and submit it to Steuben County REMC. Someone will contact you to further discuss and verify the claim.
Please remember that as you move off Steuben County REMC's lines, you should inform our office of your current address.
To see if you are on the list, search by name using the alphabetical listings below.