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(218) 335-8200 Phone
(800) 442-3909 Toll-free
(218) 335-8309 Fax

Address
190 Sailstar Drive NW
Cass Lake, MN 56633

webNotice

How to access IIM accounts when a Band member turns 18 years of age.

Minnesota Agency

Address
522 Minnesota Ave NW
Room 304
Bemidji, MN 56601

Phone Number
1-888-678-6836

Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Trust Beneficiary Call Center in Albuquerque, NM

Available to anyone who has questions regarding IIM accounts.

1-888-678-6836

The office of the Special Trustee website is: www.doi.gov/ost This website provides the Whereabouts Unknown Surname search. Beneficiaries can utilize this site by entering their last name in the search field to determine if their name is on the Whereabouts unknown list. This list does not mean that we do not know the location of a beneficiary. It means we have not had correspondence with that beneficiary to update their account. The left hand column lists Resources for: If you select Individual Beneficiaries, there is a form section. Beneficiaries who want to update their accounts can select this option to print forms. The accounts will be updated in the order they were received

Beneficiaries must be eighteen years or older to claim their IIM account funds. They must complete the forms on or after their eighteen birthday and supply our office with a certified copy of their birth certificate. The witness portion of the form must be completed by anyone over the age of eighteen. This form does not need to be notarized. The W-9 form is to verify a beneficiaries Social Security number and must also be returned with the completed forms and birth certificate. Parents of minor children may update the address for their children by completing the forms. They must also provide a birth certificate to show they are the legal guardian of the child.

If you have any questions regarding your Individual Indian Money Account (IIM), please call our Trust Beneficiary call center at 1-888-678-6836. You may also visit the website at www.doi.gov/ost/about_us/contact-us in order to locate your Agency point of contact.  

For questions regarding the Cobell Settlement, please call toll free 800.961.9109. Their website is: www.indiantrust.com. Their email address is [email protected] or you may contact them by regular mail: Indian Trust Settlement, P.O. Box 9577 Dublin, OH  43017-4877.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Office of the Special Trustee?  

The Office of the Special Trustee (OST) is to improve the management and accountability of the Indian Trust Funds administered by the Department of the Interior that includes the management of Individual Indian Monies (IIM) accounts.  Our office is not the BIA.

What is an Individual Indian Monies (IIM) Account?  

IIM accounts are established for Individual Trust Beneficiaries for trust monies or trust land.  Some accounts may have both, trust land and trust monies.

How are IIM accounts opened?  

IIM Accounts are opened for individuals who inherit trust land or monies from deceased relatives through the BIA probate process.  IIM Accounts can also be opened for those tribal members who receive a Per Capita Trust Payment from a Judgement Award such as the Nelson Act through a class action law suit against the Federal Government.

What is the H.R. 1272 Nelson Act Judgment Award?  

A settlement based on timber that was taken from the six Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's reservations without receiving the fair market value for the timber.

When was the distribution of the Nelson Act approved?  

The distribution of funds was approved and signed by President Obama on October 5, 2012.

Who was eligible to receive compensation from the Nelson Act Judgement Award?  

Anyone who was living and enrolled with one of the six Minnesota Chippewa Tribes by October 5, 2012, should have qualified for the $300.00 settlement per capita payment.

When did Leech Lake Band Members receive their $300.00 Nelson Act payment?  

The Leech Lake Band disbursed the $300.00 in December of 2012, with an additional $200.00 payment from the Leech Lake Band.

What if my child was under the age of eighteen at the time of the Nelson Act payment?

An IIM account was set up for those children who were born and enrolled with the Leech Lake Band before October 5, 2012.  Those funds were deposited into IIM accounts and will remain in trust until the beneficiary reaches the age of eighteen.

Are parents able to receive money from their child's IIM account?

No, the monies are held in trust for their child until the child reaches the age of eighteen.

What is the Whereabouts Unknown list?  

It is a list compiled of account holders/beneficiaries who do not have a current address on file with our office.  If your name does not appear on the list, you would not need to complete a form.

Where do I get the forms to update my account?  

Beneficiaries can go to the OST website http://www.doi.gov/ost/ and print the OST 01-004 forms and W-9 form.  The W-9 form is used to verify the beneficiary's social security number. If a beneficiary has a question regarding their account or how to complete the forms, they may contact our office by calling 1-888-678-6836. It is very important the forms are filled out completely and returned to our office. Minors who recently turned eighteen must provide our office with a copy of their certified birth certificate along with the completed OST 01-004 form and W-9 form.