Here’s a noticed the “Cobell/Indian Trust Settlement Fund” sent out Thursday via Bill McAllister:

The $3.4 billion Cobell v. Salazar settlement is approved and payments to Class Members have begun.The Settlement resolves a class action lawsuit that claims that the federal government violated its duties by mismanaging trust accounts and individual Indian trust lands.

Payments of $1,000 to the Historical Accounting Class are underway.The Historical Accounting Class includes individual Indians who were alive on September 30, 2009, and who had an open IIM account anytime between October 25, 1994, and September 30, 2009, with at least one cash transaction in it.The process of considering claims for the Trust Administration Class is ongoing.

The final deadline for Class Members to file a claim form for the Trust Administration Class is March 1, 2013.

The Trust Administration Class includes individual Indians alive on September 30, 2009, who either had an IIM account recorded in currently available electronic data in federal government systems anytime from January 1, 1985 to September 30, 2009, orcan demonstrate ownership in land held in trust or restricted status as of September 30, 2009.

Also included are the estates (or heirs) of any deceased landowner or IIM account holder whose account was open or whose trust assets had been in probate according to the federal government’s records as of September 30, 2009.

Not all Class Members need to file a claim.People do need to file a claim if they believe they are in the Trust Administration Class and they have not:

1. Received IIM account statements at their current address anytime between January 1, 1985 and September 30, 2009 and continue to receive statements; or
2. Received a payment as a member of the Historical Accounting Class. If they did, they will receive a second payment automatically as a member of the Trust Administration Class; or
3. Filed a claim form already using their current address.If they have, the Claims Administrator will contact them.

Members of the Trust Administration Class will likely receive at least $800 or more.The actual amount will depend on the number of claims and the cost of administration.