Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day and Presidents Day typically get all the attention when it comes to February holidays. But one special day coming up in February could lead you to unclaimed cash.
Ahead of National Unclaimed Property Day on Feb. 1, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is reminding residents to check Illinois' I-Cash missing money website to see if they may have missing money waiting to be claimed.
“National Unclaimed Property Day on February 1 is a great day for people to visit our I-CASH website, though you certainly don’t have to wait until then,” Frerichs said in a release. “In fact, it’s a good idea to check the website at least a couple of times a year to see if you, your family, or your friends have cash or property to claim.”
The I-Cash program in 2024 returned nearly $299 million in missing money to rightful Illinois owners, the release said. According to Frerichs' office, the average claim filed was $902.
While residents can search the website and file a claim if they have unclaimed money in Illinois owed to them, the program also automatically mails checks to some as part of the state's "Enhanced Money Match" program. In 2024, nearly $13.2 million was returned to 140,000 people, with the majority of checks in the amounts of $50 or $100.
“Unclaimed property” typically refers to items such as uncashed rebate checks or vendor checks, unpaid life insurance claims, forgotten checking accounts and the contents of overlooked safe deposit boxes, Frerichs office said.
"When companies and banks cannot return these items to the rightful owners, by law they are turned over to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office," the release added.
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How to check if you have missing money, unclaimed property
I-Cash website: You can check the I-Cash database to see if you have unclaimed money here.
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Unclaimed money: Head here to check the Illinois Comptroller's website to check for unclaimed money.
