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Illinois State Treasurer Seal and text Michael W Frerichs
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      • Access to Capital
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      • Investment and Financial Policies
      • The Vault State Financial and Investment Data
    • Prioritizing Illinois Firms
    • Investments
      • Broker/Dealers & Counterparties
      • Illinois Growth and Innovation Fund
      • Investment Managers
      • Student Empowerment Fund
      • Sustainable Investing
        • Raising The Bar
        • Sustainability Research
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      • Monthly Investments
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    • Invest in Illinois
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      • Access to Capital and Invest In Illinois Daily Rates
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Michael Frerichs Illinois State Treasurer
ICash
  • Home
    • News
  • ABOUT
    • Treasurer Michael Frerichs
      • Treasurer’s Note Newsletter
    • Media Center
    • Banking
      • Access to Capital
      • Advancing Equity in Banking Commission
      • Banking Service Providers
      • Community Development Linked Deposits
      • Invest in Illinois
        • Invest in Illinois Homepage
        • Business Invest
          • Business Invest – SCALE UP
          • Business Invest CUP
          • Cannabis
        • Community Invest
          • Community Invest Cannabis Banking Services
        • Ag Invest
          • Ag Invest Homepage
          • Ag Invest Contact Us
    • Employment Opportunities 
    • Investments
      • Broker/Dealers & Counterparties
        • Become An Approved Broker or Dealer
        • Approved Debt Securities Issuers
        • Approved Brokers and Dealers
      • Illinois Growth and Innovation Fund
      • Investment Managers
      • Locally Held Funds
      • Student Empowerment Fund
      • Sustainable Investing
        • Raising The Bar
        • Sustainable Investing Act     
      • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
        • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Homepage
        • Midwest Investors Diversity Initiative
        • Russell 3000 Board Diversity Disclosure Initiative
    • Illinois Treasury
      • Office Timeline
      • Mission
    • Vault
    • Warrants and Forgeries
    • Contact the Treasurer’s Office
    • Doing Business with the Treasurer
      • Procurement
      • Procurement Opportunities
      • Prioritizing Illinois Firms
    • Investment and Financial Policies
  • INDIVIDUALS
    • Federal Workers Emergency Loans
    • ICash
    • Estate Tax
    • Finally Home
    • Financial Education  
      • Financial Literacy Resources Homepage
        • Financial Literacy Month
      • Money Minded Illinois Homepage
      • Elementary School Curriculum Resources
        • First Grade
        • Second Grade
        • Third Grade
        • Fourth Grade
        • Fifth Grade
      • Middle School Resources
      • High School Resources
      • Professional Development  
      • Financial Wellness Hub
        • Financial Wellness Hub Homepage
        • IL Financial Wellness Hub Sponsors
        • IL Financial Wellness Hub Partners
        • IL Financial Wellness Hub Webinars
    • Saving for People with Disabilities
      • ABLE
    • Saving and Paying for College or Trade School
      • Student Empowerment Fund
      • College Savings
      • Fallen Heroes
      • College Savings Bond Payments
    • Saving for Retirement
      • Secure Choice
        • Secure Choice Program Documents
        • Secure Choice Performance Dashboards
        • Secure Choice Board Page
        • Secure Choice Resources
        • Secure Choice Digital Toolkit
    • Money Match
  • COMMUNITY
    • ICash
      • Money Match
    • Charitable Trust
      • Charitable Trust Home
      • Apply for a Charitable Trust Grant
      • Charitable Trust Grant Eligibility
      • Charitable Trust Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
      • Charitable Trust Board Meeting Materials
      • Charitable Trust Notice of Grant Awards
      • Charitable Trust Contact Us
      • Charitable Trust Stabilization Committee Meeting Dates
    • Community Invest
      • Community Development Linked Deposits
    • Cream of the Crop
      • Cream of the Crop Photo Contest
      • Cream of the Crop Winners
    • Finally Home
    • Heritage Month Celebrations
    • Operation Purple Heart
  • BUSINESSES
    • Unclaimed Property Finder Applications
    • Banking
      • Access to Capital
      • Advancing Equity in Banking Commission
      • Banking Service Providers
      • Illinois Firms
      • Cannabis
    • Doing Business with the Treasurer
    • Insurance Companies
      • Reporting Unclaimed Property Guidelines
    • Investments
      • Broker/Dealers & Counterparties
      • Infrastructure & Real Estate
      • Illinois Growth and Innovation Fund
      • Investment Managers
      • Student Empowerment Fund
      • Sustainability Research
        • Raising The Bar
        • Sustainable Investing Act     
    • Invest in Illinois
      • Invest in Illinois Homepage
      • Ag Invest
        • Ag Invest Homepage
        • Cream of the Crop Photo Contest
        • Cream of the Crop Winners
      • Business Invest
        • Business Invest – SCALE UP
        • Business Invest CUP
      • Community Invest
        • Community Invest Cannabis Banking Services
        • Community Development Linked Deposits
    • Small Business
      • Business Invest
      • Business Loan Guarantee Program
      • Secure Choice
        • Secure Choice Homepage
        • Secure Choice Program Documents
        • Secure Choice Performance Dashboards
        • Secure Choice Board Page
        • Secure Choice Resources
        • Secure Choice Digital Toolkit
    • Unclaimed Property
      • Unclaimed Property Self-Audit
  • GOVERNMENT
    • ePAY
    • Fees and Fines Remittance Forms
    • Unclaimed Property
      • Local Governments Entity Match
    • The Illinois Funds
      • The Illinois Funds Overview
      • Illinois Funds Daily Rates
      • Illinois Funds FAQs
  • FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
    • Business Loan Guarantee Program
    • Banking
      • Access to Capital
      • Advancing Equity in Banking Commission
      • Banking Service Providers
      • Community Development Linked Deposits
      • Investment and Financial Policies
      • The Vault State Financial and Investment Data
    • Prioritizing Illinois Firms
    • Investments
      • Broker/Dealers & Counterparties
      • Illinois Growth and Innovation Fund
      • Investment Managers
      • Student Empowerment Fund
      • Sustainable Investing
        • Raising The Bar
        • Sustainability Research
      • State Investments
      • Monthly Investments
      • Local Government Investment Pool
    • Invest in Illinois
      • Invest in Illinois Homepage
      • Access to Capital and Invest In Illinois Daily Rates
      • Ag Invest
      • Business Invest
        • Business Invest – SCALE UP
        • Business Invest CUP
      • Community Invest
        • Community Development Linked Deposits
    • Cannabis
      • Community Invest Cannabis Banking Services
    • College Savings Financial Audit
    • College Savings Legal Notice
    • Student Loans
Michael Frerichs Illinois State Treasurer

Columns, Opinion, and Other Thoughts

Home Home Office of the Treasurer Media Center Columns, Opinion, and Other Thoughts

Click on the links below to see columns and other commentary from Illinois State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs.

2026

  • Check to See If You Are Owed Money on National Unclaimed Property Day (WAND-TV, Decatur)
  • A Unique Valentine’s Day Gift? How About Some Unclaimed Property from an Online Auction? (WTAX Radio, Springfield)
  • State Fiscal Chiefs Protest Federal Immigration Chaos (The New York Times)

2025

  • State treasurers: It’s time to turn down the temperature and treat each other with dignity – September 26, 2025 – Chicago Tribune
  • New Law Makes Banking Easier for Low- and Moderate-Income Families, Strengthens Neighborhoods – September 8, 2025 – Substack
  • Let’s Celebrate Pathways to Financial Freedom for People with Disabilities – August 14, 2025 – Lawndale News
  • Layoffs in health research put safety, access to care at risk – May 6, 2025 – Daily Herald
  • Tariffs are Trump’s tax attack on American workers – March 4, 2025 – Daily Herald

2024

  • Thousands of Illinoisans with disabilities have benefited from ABLE Act – December 30, 2024 – Chicago Sun-Times
  • Proclamation from Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs: December 19, 2024, is Illinois ABLE Day

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