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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Central Illinoisans have more than $157 million in the treasurer’s vault.
Through the unclaimed property program, Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs holds onto items and money turned over to the state. Examples of unclaimed property include unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts, and unused rebate cards.
“It’s often a surprise for people to find out they have an overlooked investment account or final paycheck through no fault of their own,” Frerichs said. “This money and property belong to the people of Illinois. It should be in their pocketbook rather than the state’s safe.”
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Here are the estimates for the number of unclaimed properties of by Central Illinois county.
| County | Approx. Number of Properties | Approx. Monetary Value |
| Sangamon County | 337,180 | $42.8 million |
| Champaign County | 328,140 | $28.3 million |
| Macon County | 169,470 | $32.4 million |
| Vermillion County | 113,000 | $24.3 million |
| Mason County | 19,000 | $5.4 million. |
| Menard County | 14,000 | $700,000 |
| Christian County | 41,000 | $7.1 million |
| Greene County | 15,500 | $372,000 |
| Macoupin County | 60,700 | $2.2 million |
| Montgomery County | 32,760 | $326,000 |
| Shelby County | 18,680 | $1.1 million |
| Moultrie County | 14,300 | $51,500 |
| Piatt County | 18,680 | $3.7 million |
| DeWitt County | 21,130 | $1 million |
| Ford County | 15,160 | $198,400 |
| Fulton County | 43,240 | $1.1 million |
| Coles County | 67,400 | $4.3 million |
| Cumberland County | 10,140 | $1.5 million |
| Douglas County | 24,180 | $180,000 |
Any Illinois resident can visit the treasurer’s website to look up if the state is holding onto their unclaimed property. The treasurer’s office estimates one in four Illinois adults who use their search find unclaimed property and recommends all residents to check biannually.
