Stepheenson andd Winnebaago Counnties
OFFFICE OF ILLINOOIS STAATE TREEASUREER MMICHAEL W. FRERRICHS FOR IMMMEDIATE RRELEASE: CCONTACT:
April 1, 22015 PParis Ervin 217.524.55749 Illinoiss Treasurer Seeeks to Reunitte Northhern Illinoissans with Asseets, Weealth SPRINGGFIELD – TThe Illinois SState Treasurrer’s Office is searching for tens of tthousands off Northernn Illinois resiidents who hhave unclaimmed propertyy. Through thhe I-Cash pr ogram, the treasurer ’s office safefeguards morre than $2.1 billion in unnclaimed prooperty belongging to milliions of Illinoi s residents. HHundreds off thousands oof new propeerties have bbeen reportedd in recent months, iincluding lost bank accoounts, insurannce policy pproceeds, andd utility refuunds. Those nnew reports bring the totaal available too be claimedd by residentts of Boone,, Ogle, Stephhenson and Winnebaago counties to $34,564,3343 from 1990,076 propeerties as of Jaanuary.
“We wannt to return thhis property to its rightfuul owners,” IIllinois Treaasurer Michaael Frerichs ssaid.
“Whether it is a savinngs account someone st aarted for youu as a child, or U.S. savinngs bonds frrom World WWar II that yoour grandparrents forgot aabout in a saafe deposit box, the propper place for these items is wwith their rigghtful ownerrs.” Starting AApril 5th, naames of 78,8895 individuaals who havee unclaimedd property woorth more thhan $100 or sstock, bonds, mutual funnds, or safe ddeposit box ccontents thatt was reporteed over the ppast six monthhs will be feeatured in neewspapers adds across Illinnois. Those listings reprresent a fracttion of the 14 million propperties reporrted since thhe program bbegan in 1962 that are waaiting to be claimed. All Illinoisaans are encouuraged to vissit illinoistreeasurer.gov tto search forr property annd initiate a claim in as little as threee minutes. OOnce the claiim is filed wwith proof of ownership, individuaals will receiive their propperty in as liittle as three e weeks. Lastt year, the avverage amouunt returned was $1,000..
Hundreds of thousannds of new prroperties aree collected frrom businessses by the Sttate Treasureer’s I-Cash prrogram eachh year, so ressidents are enncouraged too check the SState Treasuurer’s I-Cashh database every six mmonths. For mmore informaation about tthe State Treeasurer’s I-CCash programm, visit illinnoistreasurer.gov or call 2217-785-69998.