Does The State Have Your Money?

Grayslake residents can check today to see if the state is holding any of their valuables including money or unclaimed property.

It is one of 10 Cash Dash events sponsored by Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford. Events will be held throughout Lake, Kane and McHenry County on Nov. 16 and 17.

The treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Division has $1.5 billion in cash, plus contents from Illinois bank safety deposit boxes that have been abandoned for at least five years. The Cash Dash program helps reunite owners with their unclaimed property.

On average, the Cash Dash program returns about $80 million dollars annually to owners. It’s common for people to lose track of their assets when they move or when loved ones pass away, according to a release from Rutherford's office. Businesses and banks are required to turn over unclaimed accounts to the treasurer’s office.

Some examples of unclaimed property currently held by the treasurer’s office include the following:

• Money in inactive savings and checking accounts
• Unpaid wages or commissions
• Stocks, bonds and mutual funds
• Money orders and bill overpayments
• Paid-up life insurance policies
• Safety deposit box contents.

To see if any of those belong to you, stop by today, Wednesday, Nov. 16, at one of the Cash Dash events in the area:

Libertyville, Village Hall, 118 W. Cook, Libertyville

• 9:30 a.m.:  Rutherford and Libertyville Mayor Terry Weppler will provide remarks and hold a media availability.  Rutherford will depart at 10 a.m. 
• 9 – 11 a.m.: Cash Dash staff will be on site to help local residents find out if they have unclaimed property.

 Grayslake, Village Hall Board Room, 10 S. Seymour Ave., Grayslake

• 10:30 a.m.:  Rutherford, and Illinois Sen. Sandy Cole will provide remarks and hold a media availability. Rutherford will depart at 11 a.m.
• 10 a.m. – 12 noon:  Cash Dash staff will be on site to help local residents find out if they have unclaimed property.

Round Lake, Community Room, Police and Public Works Facility, 751 W. Townline Rd., Round Lake

• 11:30 a.m.:  Rutherford and Round Lake Mayor Jim Dietz will provide remarks and hold a media availability.  Rutherford will depart at 12 noon. 
• 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Cash Dash staff will be on site to help local residents find out if they have unclaimed property.

Other events will also be held today in Wauconda, Lake Zurich and Crystal Lake. On Thursday, Nov. 17, events will be held in: Algonquin, Carpentersville, Elgin and St. Charles.

“People are thrilled to find out they have money just waiting for them through Cash Dash,” said Rutherford. “I encourage area residents to come visit me at local Cash Dash events for assistance is locating their money or property – plus everyone should make an attempt to review our online database annually so they don’t miss out on money or valuable assets the state is holding for them.” 

To find out if you have unclaimed property through Cash Dash, you can visit the treasurer’s website at www.treasurer.il.gov and follow the Cash Dash link. 

The website is updated weekly to reflect new properties remitted to the office.  Additionally, our Cash Dash teams conduct regular outreach across the state, place twice-annual inserts in major newspapers and send direct mail to new single-owner claimants with property worth more than $100.

Contact the Unclaimed Property Division at 217-785-6998 or emai info@cashdash.net. 

Information provided by Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford.