Total number of unclaimed properties in metro area reaches $1.98 billion
CHICAGO — The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is searching for tens of thousands of residents, businesses, and nonprofits in the Chicago metropolitan area with unclaimed property. Through the I-Cash program, the treasurer’s office safeguards $2.4 billion in unclaimed property belonging to millions of Illinois residents. Hundreds of thousands of new properties have been reported in recent months, including lost bank accounts, insurance policy proceeds, and utility refunds. Those new reports bring the total available to be claimed from Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties to $1.98 billion, including 337,280 properties each worth $1,000 or more.
“We want to reunite this property to its rightful owners,” Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said. “Whether it is a savings account someone started for you as a child, a retirement account you forgot about when you switched employers, or life insurance benefits from a policy you didn’t realize your parents had, we are committed to doing all we can to return this property to its rightful owners.”
Starting October 15, names of 61,451 individuals, businesses and organizations who have a combined $123 million in unclaimed property will be published in Chicago, suburban Cook County, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. The lists will include owners of property worth $100 or more that was reported over the past six months, as well as many of the names of businesses, nonprofits and individuals with property valued at $10,000 or more that has gone unclaimed for at least 24 months.
Highlights from the listing include:
- Kane County owner of more than $440,000
- Lake County owner of more than $209,000 from forgotten stocks
- Former DuPage County company with $178,000 to claim
- 25 Will County families with $10,000 or more to claim
- 25 suburban Cook County claims valued at $100,000 or more
- 16 Chicago companies and families with $250,000 or more in unclaimed property
The upcoming publication dates are:
| County | Paper | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|
| Cook | Chicago Tribune (A-L) First Notice | 10/15 |
| Kane | Fox Valley Daily Herald | 10/18 |
| Lake | Lake County Daily Herald (Western Lake County) | 10/18 |
| McHenry | Crystal Lake, Northwest Herald | 10/18 |
| Will | The Herald-News | 10/18 |
| Cook | Daily Herald (Northwest Suburbs) | 10/18 |
| DuPage | Woodridge Bugle (Woodridge) | 10/21 |
| DuPage | Lisle Bugle (Lisle) | 10/21 |
| DuPage | Westmont Bugle (Westmont) | 10/21 |
| DuPage | Downers Grove Suburban Life (Downers Grove) | 10/21 |
| Cook | Chicago Tribune (M-Z) Second Notice | 10/22 |
| DuPage | Naperville Sun (Naperville) | 10/23 |
| DuPage | DuPage County Daily Herald | 10/23 |
| Lake | Lake County News-Sun (Eastern Lake County) | 10/23 |
The listings published this month represent a fraction of the 14 million properties that are waiting to be claimed. All Illinoisans are encouraged to visit illinoistreasurer.gov to search for property and initiate a claim in as little as three minutes. Once the claim is filed with proof of ownership, individuals will receive their property in as little as four weeks. Last year, the average amount returned was $1,000.
Hundreds of thousands of new properties are collected from businesses by the State Treasurer’s I-Cash program each year, so residents are encouraged to check the State Treasurer’s I-Cash database every six months. For more information about the State Treasurer’s I-Cash program, visit illinoistreasurer.gov or call 217-785-6998.
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