Record $45 Million in Unclaimed Money Headed to 600,000 Illinois Residents

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced that nearly 600,000 residents will receive a total of $45 million in unclaimed money this summer through the state’s Enhanced Money Match program, the largest distribution of its kind in U.S. history. Checks, most worth $50 or less, are automatically mailed to individuals matched through state records, with no action needed other than cashing the check. The program uses existing data to identify rightful owners of unclaimed property, focusing on simple claims like forgotten bank accounts or unused rebate cards. The Treasurer’s Office began mailing notifications in late June, with checks arriving throughout the summer.