Iowa Code § 904.508 — IA Code / Title XVI / Chapter 904 / Section 904.508
Property of inmate — inmate savings fund.
Status: in_force

(1) The superintendent of each institution shall receive and care for any property an inmate may possess on the inmate’s person upon entering the institution, and on the discharge of the inmate, return the property to the inmate or the inmate’s legal representatives, unless the property has been previously disposed of according to the inmate’s written designation. The superintendent may place an inmate’s money at interest, keeping an account of the money and returning the remaining money upon discharge.

(2) Pursuant to section 904.702, the director shall establish and maintain an inmate savings fund in an interest-bearing account for the deposit of all or part of an inmate’s allowances and amounts, except amounts directed to be deposited in the inmate telephone fund established in section 904.508A, sent to the inmate from a source other than the department. All or part of an inmate’s allowances and amounts, except amounts directed to be deposited in the inmate telephone fund established in section 904.508A, from a source other than the department shall be deposited into the savings fund, until the inmate’s deposit is equal to one hundred dollars as provided in section 906.9. If an inmate’s deposits are equal to or in excess of one hundred dollars, the inmate may voluntarily withdraw from the savings fund. The director shall notify the inmate of this right to withdraw and shall provide the inmate with a written request form to facilitate the withdrawal. If the inmate withdraws and the inmate’s deposits exceed the amount due as provided in section 906.9, the director shall disburse the excess amount as provided for allowances under section 904.702, except the director shall not deposit the excess amount in the inmate savings fund. If the inmate chooses to continue to participate in the savings fund, the inmate’s deposits shall be returned to the inmate upon discharge, parole, or placement on work release. Otherwise, the inmate’s deposits shall be disposed of as provided in subsection 3. An inmate’s deposits into the savings fund may be used to provide the money due the inmate upon discharge, parole, or placement on work release, as required under section 906.9. Interest earned from the savings fund shall be placed in a separate account, and may be used for purchases approved by the director to directly and collectively benefit inmates.

(3) Upon the death of an inmate, the superintendent of the institution shall immediately take possession of the decedent’s property left at the institution, including the inmate’s deposits into the inmate savings fund, and shall deliver the property to the person designated by the inmate to be contacted in case of an emergency. However, if the property left by the decedent cannot be delivered to the designated person, delivery may be made to the surviving spouse or an heir of the decedent. If the decedent’s property cannot be delivered to the designated person and no surviving spouse or heir is known, the superintendent shall deliver the property to the treasurer of state for disposition as unclaimed property pursuant to chapter 556, after deducting expenses incurred in disposing of the decedent’s body or property.

83 Acts, ch 96, §44, 159CS83, §217A.6685 Acts, ch 21, §25, 54CS85, §246.50889 Acts, ch 46, §1; 91 Acts, ch 219, §8C93, §904.5082003 Acts, 1st Ex, ch 2, §56, 209; 2025 Acts, ch 66, §9