~~ An INTERESTING Poll - WWYD with the $$$$$? ~~

[3timesoccermom]

A family about to move into their newly-purchased home found more than $40K in the attic but they returned it all to the family that lived there previously. It seems from a legal standpoint that the money and other remaining contents would, technically, belong to the new owner. That said, I still think it's the right thing to do to contact the heirs and return it to them. If it were me, I think I would be a little bummed that I knew I couldn't keep it but would feel good about returning it. I just wonder if the family shared some of the money with the finders.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/259566/28/Family-returns-40000-found-in-attic-of-their-new-house

NBC - He hit the mother lode, but not once did Josh Ferrin even think of laying claim on the more than $45,000 cash that he found in his garage. In fact, he gave it all back.

"You can't make plans for money like this that's found in a situation like this," Ferrin said. "It just doesn't feel right to do anything but give it back."

Within an hour of closing on his first home, Josh Ferrin, an artist for Utah's Deseret News, used the keys to take his first official look inside. While taking it all in, he noticed a tiny scrap of carpet peeking out of a small door in the ceiling of a workshop at the back of the garage.

He got a ladder and climbed up to explore the unseen space. It was dark and musty, but Ferrin could see a black metal box sitting there.

It was a heavy metal box - the kind used to haul ammunition during World War II - and it was filled with cash, old stamps, bond certificates and other random memorabilia.

"I immediately closed it, locked it in my truck and called my wife, 'You won't believe what I just found,'" he said.

Tara Ferrin immediately knew the couple had to return the money to its rightful owners.

However, Arnold Bangerter, the former homeowner, passed away in November 2010 and his youngest son, Dennis Bangerter, the executor of Bangerter's estate, had just signed the 1950s red-brick rambler away.
"When we were thinking about selling the house, I thought that now was a good time and we needed to get it ready," he said. "I had the feeling that it could be hard, but if the right family came along, it would sell quickly."

He said he knew the Ferrins were "a good family" from the moment he met them. Dennis Bangerter said he wished they could have met his father.
"Going through those boxes, I felt like I had a peek into his life," Josh Ferrin said about the man who left the surprising find. "This is a beautiful outcome and it feels good to be a part of it. It's a rare opportunity to be able to do something extraordinarily honest."

Arnold Bangerter, a fisheries biologist for the former Utah Department of Fish and Game, had purchased the home in 1966 and lived there with his wife, who died in 2005.

The Ferrins felt right about buying the home from the moment they walked inside, and a giant sequoia redwood tree in the backyard sealed the deal. Little did they know they'd be getting so much more.

"It's a story that will outlast our generation and probably yours as well," Kay Bangerter, the oldest of the Bangerter's six children, said Wednesday.
He wasn't all that surprised at the money, as he had previously found cash taped to the bottom of a chest of drawers left in his father's home, albeit in much smaller amounts.

"He grew up in hard times and people that survived that era didn't have anything when they came out of it unless they saved it themselves," he said. "He was a saver, not a spender."

No one knows when Arnold Bangerter started stashing the cash, but the bills and coins found in the garage are dated back to the 1970s and 1980s.

One-, five-, 10- and 20-dollar bills had been meticulously coiled in bundles of hundreds and five-hundreds. Nearly every roll was wrapped with a tiny bit of twine. Ferrin hauled eight ammo boxes out of the crawl space.
The boxes also contained a plastic bag of large bullets and a handwritten note that reads: "I was born on a lousy day."

It took at least three hours for the Ferrins to sort and count the new-found cash, all the while teaching a lesson of honesty to their two young sons, who wanted to keep "just one" of the bundles and kept trying to slip coins into their pockets.

"The house needs some work," Josh Ferrin said. "I could use the $45,000 for remodeling, but he didn't save that money for us. He saved it for his family."

Josh Ferrin said he "felt guided" to the house, which was one of at least two others they considered buying in the area. He also felt guided to that money.

They'll be fixing up the home before they officially move in and in the meantime, life will go on just as it did before discovering a small fortune.
"I never considered the money mine," Josh Ferrin said. "You can't allow yourself to think like that."

[couponmommyof3]

I would give that money back but of course like most people I would want to be selfish and keep it, but really I know that if I kept the money it would always make me feel guilty. Imagine how this family feels now returning the money? I bet they are filled with joy knowing they did the right thing! And I know that they will be blessed in return later on.

[lmcconne]

An act such as this is all too rare in today's society. Talking in hypothetical terms is just that hypothetical, until we are faced with real life situations. I hope we would all rise to the occasion when called.

[pharrothead]

I think I'd return.

However, I'd also question why the kids were in such a rush to push off the house that they didn't even check the attic. From reading the article it wasn't like this guy started tearing down walls and found it. It was sitting in containers in the attic along with boxes of his stuff they just left behind. At least that's how I'm reading it.

[couponmommyof3]

I think I'd return.

However, I'd also question why the kids were in such a rush to push off the house that they didn't even check the attic. From reading the article it wasn't like this guy started tearing down walls and found it. It was sitting in containers in the attic along with boxes of his stuff they just left behind. At least that's how I'm reading it.

"While taking it all in, he noticed a tiny scrap of carpet peeking out of a small door in the ceiling of a workshop at the back of the garage.

He got a ladder and climbed up to explore the unseen space. It was dark and musty, but Ferrin could see a black metal box sitting there."

Honestly, I probably would have missed it myself if I was trying to sell the house. I would have probably stuck my head into the attic saw no boxes or anything bulky and thought this is cleaned out.

[3timesoccermom]

Parrothead - interesting point but what does it have to do with what a person feels is right or wrong?

I have to admire the honesty of those who can admit they'd keep the money. I might not agree but I think there are a lot more people who would than would admit to it.

But there are also plenty of people who would never consider keeping it. I did a poll similar to this on another site a few years ago after another incident of a large amount money being left behind accidentally - in a public bathroom. Some replied that they didn't believe ANYone would return the money. Pfft to that!

[kschick96]

I talked to DH about this and we decided that if it was newly purchased, we would return it. If we were to find it today (we have lived in this house 4 years) we would keep it.

[clippyclippy]

Yes, absolutely I'd have to return it. I can't imagine the weight on my conscience for the rest of my life if I didn't.
I'm curious though, as to whether the heirs gave any sort of reward? The article doesn't mention it.
If I were the one to be the recipient of the find, I'd want to give a generous reward - maybe 1,000.00 to the couple who found it, possibly even 5,000.00.

[Sergeantsavealot]

Here’s a funny story from when I was younger about finding money and returning it.

In high school I worked in a grocery store after school and on weekends. One day my friend found a wallet with $400.00 dollars in it. He did the right thing and turned it into the office and they called the owner. The owner of the wallet came to the store and thanked my friend and wanted to give him $100.00 dollars reward for turning in his wallet. My friend did not take the reward.

Well fast forward a year when I found a wallet with $1800.00 dollars in it. I also did the right thing and turned the wallet into the office and they called the owner to come and pick it up. He ask the manager who found it and he told him I did (I was already at the front of the store when owner of wallet showed up) he opened the wallet counted the money in front of us then turned around and walk out without even saying thank you. LOL

Y’all have a great savings day!

P

[Spanelli8706]

I'd return it... I believe in Karma and I'd be scared not to give it back. lol.