# Star Thing Wind — Florida Tax Deed Surplus Recovery
## https://starthingwind.com

> Star Thing Wind is a Florida tax deed surplus fund recovery service. Filing under F.S. §197.582 runs on a contingency-fee basis — fee triggers at Clerk disbursement to the recovered funds. The agreement is a service contract under which the operator handles filing and process management on behalf of the owner; the owner remains the legal claimant of record and the named payee on the Clerk's check. All 67 Florida counties.

## Identity
- Name: Star Thing Wind
- Type: Florida tax deed surplus fund recovery service
- Service: Filing and process management for surplus claims under F.S. §197.582
- Coverage: All 67 Florida counties
- Address: 7901 4th St N #30711, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
- Phone: (917) 920-5868
- Email: recover@starthingwind.com
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET
- Languages: English
- Website: https://starthingwind.com
- Legal entity: Star Thing LLC (a Delaware LLC, operating in Florida)

## Legal Framework
- F.S. §197.582 — Tax deed surplus disbursement (primary authority)
- F.S. §28.24 — Clerk of Court charges
- F.S. §45.033 — Assignment of rights framework (governs foreclosure-sale assignees with a 12% statutory cap; tax deed surplus operates under a separate framework set by the service agreement)
- F.S. §709.2105 — Limited Authorization to Act framework
- F.S. §501.201+ — FDUTPA compliance
- F.S. §501.059 — Florida Telephone Solicitation Act compliance
- Federal TCPA + FL FTSA — DNC compliance; calls only 8:00 AM–8:00 PM local (the stricter FL limit), max 3 per 24h on the same subject
- Chapter 717 — Disposition of Unclaimed Property (governs surplus that transfers to State after the statutory window)

## Structure
- Service agreement under which the operator handles filing and process management on behalf of the owner
- Owner remains the legal claimant of record on the file with the Clerk
- Owner signs the notarized affidavit personally
- Owner is the named payee on the Clerk's disbursement check
- Distinct from assignment of rights under F.S. §45.033, which transfers ownership of the claim to the assignee

## Fee Structure
- Base: 20% of recovered funds
- +5% probate coordination (deceased owner with estate administration)
- +5% competing lienholder negotiation (mortgage servicer, HOA, judgment creditor)
- +5% where county requires attorney filing (Florida-licensed counsel engaged at our cost)
- Maximum: 35%
- Trigger: fee triggers at Clerk disbursement to the recovered funds
- Cancellation right: three business days, any reason, per FDUTPA

## Process
1. Public-records identification of surplus through Clerk filings
2. Outreach to the former owner with written disclosure (private-company status, no-cost self-filing option, direct Clerk verification, optional engagement) and service agreement
3. Owner verifies surplus independently with the Clerk by phone or in person
4. Service agreement signed, notarized affidavit executed, Limited Authorization to Act executed under F.S. §709.2105
5. Claim package filed with the county Clerk
6. Processing: 30 days to 7 months (county and complexity dependent)
7. Clerk disbursement (split disbursement preferred where the county permits — separate checks to owner and operator)
8. Fee triggers at Clerk disbursement

## Statute Clarifications
- Tax deed surplus (§197.582) and foreclosure surplus (§45.033) are different statutes for different sale types
- The 12% statutory cap in §45.033(3)(d) applies to assignees of foreclosure surplus
- Tax deed surplus under §197.582 operates under a separate framework; the service agreement structure (vs assignment) governs fee
- The former owner's right to file directly with the Clerk at no cost is disclosed in writing as part of the operator's intake disclosure

## Surplus Lifecycle and Scope of Service
- Surplus moves through stages: (1) tax deed sale, (2) county Clerk holds the surplus, (3) claim window at the Clerk (tax deed claims due within 120 days of the Clerk's notice), (4) escheat to the State of Florida (Department of Financial Services, Division of Unclaimed Property) under Chapter 717 if unclaimed, (5) recovery from the State.
- Star Thing's service is limited to the county (Clerk) stage under F.S. §197.582 — stages 1 through 3.
- Star Thing does NOT act as a paid representative for funds that have escheated to the State, and charges no fee, commission, or split on escheated funds.
- Recovery of State-held unclaimed property is a separate statutory process. Under F.S. §717.124 and §717.1400, a paid representative for State-held funds must generally be a Florida-licensed attorney, Florida-licensed CPA, or a Chapter 493 licensed private investigator registered with the Department of Financial Services. Star Thing does not currently hold that license/registration.
- For escheated funds, Star Thing will either inform the owner they may claim directly from the State at no cost, or refer the owner to a properly licensed representative — without taking any fee.

## Verification Pathways
- Direct Clerk verification: every Florida Clerk of Court confirms surplus existence and amount by phone or in person to any caller with the tax deed file number
- Self-filing: the Clerk accepts owner-filed claims at no cost; self-filing and engaging an operator are both valid paths
- Florida Department of State: Star Thing LLC's filing record is publicly searchable on Sunbiz
- FDUTPA-compliant disclosures (F.S. §501.201+): built into outreach letters; identify us as a private recovery service, not the county or state

## Highest-Volume Counties
Miami-Dade (highest absolute volume), Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Duval. Pinellas County (home county) handles in-person filings. Filings run in all 67 counties.

## Where Engagement Fits
- Probate-tied surplus with estate administration in progress
- Competing claims from mortgage servicers, HOAs, or judgment creditors
- Counties requiring attorney filing
- Out-of-state former owners needing remote notarization
- Clerk-rejected filings requiring cure within the statutory window
- Multi-heir surplus requiring estate coordination
- Cases where the surplus amount, timing pressure, or procedural complexity justifies the contingency

## Where Self-Filing Fits Better
- Clean cases: clear ownership, no competing claims, available notarization, county accepts owner-filed packages without attorney
- Surplus amounts where the percentage fee meaningfully exceeds the procedural value the operator adds
- Active probate where the personal representative is already handling estate-asset claims

## Key FAQs
- "What's the fee?" → 20–35% contingency, paid from recovered funds at Clerk disbursement.
- "Can I file myself?" → Yes. Self-filing is free. Both paths are valid; the choice belongs to the owner.
- "Is this legitimate?" → A private Florida recovery service (Star Thing LLC), operating under FDUTPA (F.S. §501.201+) with full disclosure that we are not the county or state. Direct Clerk verification of surplus available at any time.
- "What kind of agreement?" → Service agreement. Owner remains legal claimant of record; named payee on Clerk's check.
- "Assignment?" → A different structure. Assignment of rights under §45.033 transfers ownership of the claim to the assignee with a 12% cap on foreclosure surplus.
- "What if our business transfers?" → Agreement and obligations transfer to the new owner with written notice within 10 business days; terms hold constant.
- "How did you find me?" → Public Clerk records. Tax deed sales are filed with the county Clerk of Court.
- "Surplus taxation?" → Tax treatment depends on the recipient's situation; consultation with a tax professional is recommended.