The Illinois Dash For Cash is the term the Illinois Treasure’s Department uses to describe their unclaimed money search website.
CHICAGO — You say you could never lose your money? You could be surprised, NBC5’s Kim Vatis said, because according to the State Treasurer, there could be a one-in-five chance that some of the forgotten funds held by the Illinois Treasurer’s Office belong to you. All you need is your name on the Illinois Dash For Cash website , and the state’s computers will figure out if you’re entitled to any of the unclaimed money. “I had a deceased aunt, with a savings account (that was) never claimed,” said Fadi Zanayed. The unclaimed funds usually come from forgotten bank accounts, stocks, bonds, security deposits and insurance checks, Vatis reported, but sometimes, she said, even entire estates go unclaimed. While the average payout is $400 to $600, Vatis said, there are also bigger windfalls. Steve Dugan, for instance, was able to claim more than $20,000. “I was kind of shocked,” Dugan said. “How could I have lost this without knowing it?” One claim alone gave him a $13,000 check. “They told me Chase Manhattan Bank, out of New York,” Dugan said of the money’s source. “I don’t know (why it was there) — could have been stocks, bonds, inheritance.”
State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka initiated “Illinois Dash for Cash,” the state’s campaign to get people their money. “We just try to pump it back,” Topinka said. “Over the last two years, we’ve returned $125 million to people.” The biggest payout, so far, has been $800,000, according to Topinka. Topinka said the number of potential claimants gives Illinois residents a one-in-five chance of being on the list of people whose money is being held by the state of Illinois. “We’re talking five million names and $1 billion,” Topinka said. “So, really, with one-in-five chances, you’ve got something better than the lottery!” The billion dollars’ worth of unclaimed assets that have been abandoned for five years or more sit in a vault at the state capitol in Springfield.
Allissa Camp, Director of Unclaimed Property, showed Vatis the stash of goods. “And it’s not just money,” Camp said. “These jewels and valuables are simply left in safety deposit boxes. An amazing array of collectibles from time past — wills and even war medals. It’s sad. These once meant something to someone, and either they or their heirs have forgotten about it.”
Camp said that anything that is not claimed is auctioned off, because there’s not enough space to keep it.
It costs you nothing to get the money back if you find your name on the list, and it doesn’t take much time either. The state has a Dash for Cash Web site that takes you through the process.
The list of unclaimed money is updated every six months, so even if you’ve checked for your name before, it’s worth repeating the effort.Topinka told Vatis that even though it’s easy to check if you have unclaimed goods being held by the state, it’s more important to avoid the situation.
“Tell someone that these accounts are out there,” Topinka said. “Often people die and don’t tell anybody about it, and the family doesn’t know.” That’s why it’s critical to keep an inventory of all your assets, Vatis advised. Let someone know about it and always make a change of address when you move, so your money can find you.
Billions of dollars go unclaimed every year. There are millions of people that are unaware that they have money owed to them. You can get a nice commission just letting them know about it.
Danny Joseph juco is my ex husband and he has 5 children he had a law suite pending but died before he could claim it so his kids are entitled to it
Looking for Dash for cash unclaimed funds for Anthony D. . Please look up name and also address and call his number @ 1-715-558-, and/or send application documents and paperwork to mailing address for Anthony D. . Anthony is looking for a refund, and/or insurance claim, from a relative, that had told him to go to dash for cash and give his name and address and phone number. Please reply, and send in mail information and documents to sign, etc, to his mailing address I gave you, or call him at the phone number I gave you, and let us know if you have any results, or information. Thank-you.
I’ve called and left a message for Anthony.
Looking for unclaimed money, stocks, bonds.
I have a friend in western Illinois who has funds listed here and you have been of no help to help him claim same. he is in late 70’s or so and could use the money. it is 100% him who is listed. what can I do to help him ?
my uncle and I had a bank account at the countryside bank in countryside ill. in 1984 or 1985 his name was james willie norman we lived at w 21st street Chicago my name is hattie theroith at that time my name was hattie bright hope to here from you soon.
Both my parents have passed, and I am the executor of the estate. I think I’ve located all there bank accounts, but I know they had stock in Rio Suites in Las Vegas, and I can’t find anything about it. Is there any way I can find out if the stock still exists or if they sold it? Neither was coherent enough to tell me before they passed, so I’ve been trying to find out the close out all their accounts.
I know that I have unclaimed child support funds and if you can find it please send it to me
I was told by another relative that he had seen the name of my uncle, Walter A. Feurer on an unclaimed property list from IL. I did a search with no results. I would like to apprise his children who now live in other states as to how to claim any funds that may be available. Can you help?
My Name is Renee No one Garrett I am try to look in a living will.Lottie Ackin or Ackinson s she live in Chicago I’ll 4232 s. King Dr. Same floor I live. She wrote my name name down .
I just learned a few days ago that my Ex made child support payments in the amount totaling $22,500 through the Illinois child support disbursement unit…from 1993 through 2012. I never received them because I moved constantly throughout the USA and Caribbean working on real estate projects. I live in Florida, so I’m told that it became an interstate case. Illinois and Florida both claim that they have no idea where the pmts went. When they were undeliverable to my address on file, all payment were marked STALE, STOPPED or VOID?? I cant get any answers? Could the money have been sent back to my Ex? Any advice would be appreciated.
call the irs its held with state treasure
I submitted a claim in mid June for 2 items. I have received one item two weeks ago but not the other. Is there a way to ask for a follow up to see if the other item was sent or there is an issue?
Steve,
Was this in Illinois? If so you can contact them at:
Call (217) 785-6998
or
Office of the Illinois State Treasurer
Unclaimed Property Division
P.O. Box 19495
Springfield, IL
62794-9495
Why is there a 14 week back log with processing claims? Illinois
Government office, lots of claims, probably swamped workers.
I think the State of Illinois needs to do a much better job of finding people who have money in the unclaimed funds accounts! Recently, I searched on the icash website for a family member, only to find that the database is filled with inaccuracies! Not to mention, I found several friends’ names who haven’t moved in many years and still at the same address! In some cases, first names show up in the ‘last name’ column. There are accounts listed under “Estate of…” where the last name should be. For those who are really wanting to find out if there is missing property/money under http://www.icash.illinois.gov, I urge you to check several different ways. Put your first name in the last name search line (which will probably give you too many options, unless you indicate your city), or type in “Estate of” or “Trust of” in the last name line, then the last name in the first name line. In any case, the database needs a thorough clean up and the state should be doing a better job of this. The State of Indiana has a database where you can just put the last name in, and your responses will not be based on whether the name was in the right column! The search is obviously by key word – last name. Illinois should do the same!
Diane,
Thank you for that information. Yes, if you are doing a search try entering your last name in the first name and vice versa. That is actually one of the reasons that money ends up unclaimed.
As far as the State of Illinois doing a better job of finding people, good luck with that!
Nothing against the workers in the unclaimed funds division for Illinois, but a limited staff fielding calls from people looking for their own money doesn’t really leave them time to actively search for people.
That is why you can easily find people whose first and last names come up exactly as they are that have been living at the same address and they have not collected their unclaimed money because they don’t know about it.
That is also why being an unclaimed money finder is such an excellent business!
The states don’t have the manpower to look for people owed money so it’s up to you to look for yourself. If you don’t know to do that, you’re lucky if a Finder contacts you. Otherwise, your money is just going to sit there.
I hope your friends were pleasantly surprised to find out they had money being held!
Go to Icashillinois. There are no fees. They do not take a percentage. Just follow the prompts.
I believe there is money for me under the name Janice Burt or Janice Gaffney. How do I go about getting this money that is mine. Thank you Sincerely Janice Mustafa
Hi my name is yvonne devost i put money in citizen bank of waukegan illinios which shut down without my knowledge which was in 91 well the state treasure gave some of the money but not the interest on the money i trying to find out if its in the treasure department. My daughter delilah devost contacted the treasure department and they claim the money is there so how can i find out
I really don’t understand why everybody is money hungry. Before anyone wants to help you, they want money. If i had money, I would not be trying to find (My Money). I could see if I had something paying a percentage of my money to the person that helped me, but right off the bat it’s all about the mighty dollar before i can even get any help to find my money. This is just the trick of the devil. If this thing is not legit, I have paid for something and might not receive any help. I don’t mind giving a percetage if it is a sure thing, but these people on the internet are so money grafity and so full of shit. they are not trustworthy. They are just trying to get that finders fee from people and if they keep getting those fees they get alot of money and get rich off fees and can’t even help you. I don’t think this is fare.
Linda,
A legitimate unclaimed money finder would not charge you a fee up-front. They would only charge you a percentage if they got money back for you, and only after you received your money.
Nobody should ever pay anyone upfront to search for their money, but if you do have someone willing to search for you on a contingency fee where they only get paid if you get money back, then there is nothing to lose.
However, make sure you read any contract you sign very carefully.
AMEN LINDA! AMEN!