Illinois unclaimed money program is one of the best we have found in terms of information provided. Currently the state holds over $2.9 billion in unclaimed money and property. Since 2015 the treasurer’s office has returned more than $703 million in cash and property. More than $200 million of that has been returned just in the last fiscal year. The average value of each claim according to a report is $1,000.
Illinois Unclaimed Property Search
Searching on the Illinois I-Cash website is easy, simply put in your name and click search. Their search results populate with lots of detailed information. The listings include name, address, who reported the property. They also include the relationship to the owner, which is whether they are the sole owner or if it is joint with another owner. They also list whether the amount is under or over $100 and the type of property it is.
Like most states, Illinois also shares their database with MissingMoney.com. If you are not having luck finding property, we suggest you use this site along with our search strategies in order to increase your odds of finding a claim. The state site is great for exact matches, but won’t work if you are using misspelled names as a strategy, or just the first few letters of the first or last name.
Filling out a claim for can be done 100% online. Once you find the unclaimed money, simply click claim and fill out the appropriate information in order to make the claim. You might need some additional documentation, usually for a deceased relative or if the claim amount is large, usually over $1,000. These documents can be uploaded directly to the website also.
Checking the status of a claim is easy as well. All you need is the claim ID and you can see the status of your money right on the website. Most claims take several weeks to process so it’s helpful to see.
Unclaimed money finders are legal in Illinois. These individuals will complete the claim process for you for a percentage of the claim. In this state the maximum they can charge is 10% of the total cash or property. There are lots of other useful links on the Illinois I-Cash site, including unclaimed money laws, forms and instructions as well as a glossary of terms.
Phone: 800-961-8303
Link to Contact Us Form: https://illinoistreasurer.gov/Individuals/Contact_Unclaimed_Property
Website: Illinois State Page