$47.5 million in Southern Illinois Counties Waiting to be Claimed Through I-Cash
CARBONDALE — Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is looking to reunite hundreds of thousands of Southern Illinois residents with more than $47.5 million in unclaimed cash and property.
The money is waiting to be claimed under the office’s I-Cash program, which safeguards unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards until they can be returned to their rightful owner.
“It’s often a surprise for people to find out they have an overlooked investment account or final paycheck through no fault of their own,” Frerichs said. “This money and property belong to the people of Illinois. It should be in their pocketbook rather than the state’s safe.” Frerichs’ reminder is part of a statewide digital media, newspaper and direct mail push to reunite residents with more than $3.5 billion in unclaimed property. State law requires the Illinois Treasurer’s Office to publish newspaper ads in all 102 Illinois counties every six months and to send letters to residents who have newly reported unclaimed property of $100 or more.
Here are the unclaimed property totals for Southern Illinois counties:
*In Jackson County, there are nearly 100,000 unclaimed properties totaling more than $13.1 million.
*In Williamson County, there are more than 91,840 unclaimed properties totaling nearly $8.9 million.
*In Washington County, there are more than 15,710 unclaimed properties totaling nearly $192,000.
*In Jefferson County, there are nearly 53,400 unclaimed properties totaling more than $6.25 million.
*In Franklin County, there are nearly 56,120 unclaimed properties totaling more than $3.9 million.
*In Union County, there are nearly 21,200 unclaimed properties totaling more than $4.2 million.
*In Alexander County, there are more than 13,820 unclaimed properties totaling nearly $3.8 million.
*In Pulaski County, there are nearly 9,500 unclaimed properties totaling more than $389,000.
*In Massac County, there are more than 17,300 unclaimed properties totaling more than $1 million.
*In Johnson County, there are 13,360 unclaimed properties totaling nearly $1.7 million.
*In Pope County, there are more than 4,030 unclaimed properties totaling $97,500.
*In Hardin County, there are more than 3,900 unclaimed properties totaling $105,000.
*In Saline County, there are more than 35,220 unclaimed properties totaling more than $2 million.
*In Perry County, there are more than 23,260 unclaimed properties totaling more than $157,000.
*In Randolph County, there are nearly 37,000 unclaimed properties totaling more than $1.8 million.
An estimated one-in-four adults in Illinois who search I-Cash find unclaimed property, and the average claim is $1,000. Treasurer Frerichs has returned a record more than $1.6 billion in unclaimed property through more than 1.3 million claims during his tenure after he prioritized changes in technology, efficiency and state law to streamline the process.
Thousands of items are reported and remitted to the state annually, and residents are encouraged to check the unclaimed property database twice each year. Set up a reminder on your smart phone’s calendar or fire up your computer and do a search when you change your smoke detector batteries every six months. Visit About the Illinois Treasurer As Illinois State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately $52 billion. The portfolio includes $26 billion in state funds, $17 billion in retirement and college savings plans and $9 billion on behalf of local and state governments. Frerichs’ office protects consumers by safeguarding more than $3.5 billion in unclaimed property, encouraging savings plans for college or trade school, increasing financial education among all ages, assisting people with disabilities to save without losing government benefits, and removing barriers to a secure retirement.
The Treasurer’s Office predates Illinois incorporation in 1818. Voters in 1848 chose to make it an elected office.
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