Illinois e-News Release

January 29, 2026

National Unclaimed Property Day is this weekend, and Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is encouraging people to visit the ICash missing money website to see if they have money or other unclaimed property waiting for them.

“This Sunday, February 1, is National Unclaimed Property Day, and I hope people will celebrate by checking our ICash website to see if they or any loved ones have missing money to claim,” Treasurer Frerichs said. “If you want to celebrate early, that’s OK, too. The ICash site is available anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

An estimated one-in-four adults who check ICash discover they have missing money or other unclaimed property, added Frerichs, who recommends checking the website at least a couple of times a year.

“It’s a good idea to check the names of family members and friends, as well as your own name, because you might find some unexpected treasures. If you find something for your relatives or neighbors, you can use our website’s Family and Friends ‘share’ feature to let them know,” he said. 

“We work hard to return missing money and unclaimed property to the rightful owners. The proof is in our record-breaking numbers over the years,” he added. “Putting money back in your warm hands is better than keeping it in our cold bank vaults.”

Since Frerichs began serving as State Treasurer in 2015, he has returned more than $2.4 billion in unclaimed property – the largest amount in state history. 

During 2025, Frerichs helped almost 545,000 people get back nearly $294 million in missing money. The average claim was $539.

Unclaimed property includes forgotten or overlooked bank accounts, uncashed rebate checks, unpaid life insurance claims, and the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes. 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 State Treasurer is legally required to return unclaimed property to its owners or their heirs, no matter how long it takes.

Discovering missing money can make a real difference in people’s lives. 

Take Ray from McLean County, who recently received about $27,000 in unclaimed property. Almost all that money came from a cryptocurrency account that belonged to his late wife. 

Ray said he tried to access his wife’s account after her death, but without success. Eventually, the cryptocurrency company told him the funds would be turned over to the state. A friend at work had told Ray about the unclaimed property program in Treasurer Frerichs’ office, so he checked the ICash website, hoping to find a listing for his wife’s crypto account.

“Sure enough, it showed up exactly in the amount I was expecting,” Ray said. 

He filed a claim and received the money in November. Ray plans to retire soon, so he added the funds to his individual retirement account instead of splurging. He advises people to regularly check the ICash database for themselves. 

“It was amazing I could have that experience,” he said. “The Unclaimed Property Division was very helpful with me at each step.”

Treasurer Frerichs worked with state lawmakers to streamline the process, eliminating red tape, making online claims easier, returning money without the need to file a claim through the Enhanced Money Match program, and adding a Spanish-language website.

Treasurer Frerichs also recently started an online unboxing video series highlighting baseball cards, jewelry, and other unclaimed property in the Springfield vault to encourage people to check for unclaimed property.

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) launched the first National Unclaimed Property Day on February 1, 2021, to inform more people about missing money. Treasurer Frerichs’ Office is a national leader on unclaimed property issues and is frequently consulted by other states that are reforming their unclaimed property laws, rules and procedures.

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is a powerful economic engine that invests in people to drive prosperity, development and growth throughout the state. As State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs (FRAIR’iks) is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately $60 billion. The investments help families pay for college and trade school; workers save for a dignified retirement; and local governments process bill payments more efficiently so they can pass along the savings to taxpayers. The office provides financial institutions with money to loan to farmers, small business owners, and qualified individuals at below-market rates because better jobs create stronger communities. The office operates the state’s largest consumer-protection initiative, the missing money ICash program, which has returned a record-breaking $2.4 billion since Frerichs was elected. 

For more news about the State Treasurer’s Office, please sign up for our newsletter and follow Treasurer Frerichs on Instagram at IL Treasurer, Threads @iltreasurer, LinkedIn and on Facebook at Invested in You – Treasurer Michael Frerichs.