October 30, 2024 – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is encouraging nearly 140,000 residents to cash the unclaimed property checks that are arriving in the mail.
The checks went out as part of the latest round of the Enhanced Money Match program,which allows the Treasurer’s Office to automatically return missing money to people without the need to file a claim. The office leverages data the state already collects and crossmatches it with the State Treasurer’s unclaimed property database. In recent weeks, the Treasurer’s Office sent letters to unclaimed property owners that described the amount and source of the money that’s on the way.
“We put technology to work to return more money to people in our state. After all, the money belongs to them,” Frerichs said. “But some people see the check in the mail and don’t think it’s real. Please don’t forget to deposit or cash the check, or it ends up back with us as unclaimed property.”
State lawmakers approved legislation in recent years to allow the State Treasurer’s Office to return even more money through the I-Cash program. Enhanced Money Match focuses on simple claims: Cash owed to a single person. Not included is cash owned by multiple parties, including a joint holding of a parent and minor child, as well as shares of stocks and bonds, escrow accounts, and the contents of bank safe deposit boxes.
To see if you have unclaimed property, check the online database at www.illinoistreasurer.gov/ICASH
