Arlene Adden thanks Nathan Blevins, head of constituent services for state Rep. Dave Vella, on Thursday, April 6, 2023, for helping her claim money she was owed through Illinois’ ICASH program. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — It started with a phone call that seemed too good to be true: The state of Illinois was holding thousands of dollars rightfully owed to Arlene Adden.

The 93-year-old Loves Park resident learned about the unclaimed cash from Nathan Blevins, the head of constituent services for state Rep. Dave Vella. He initially called Todd Gee, her son-in-law, in an effort track down her down and make sure a check was sent her way through Illinois’ unclaimed property program, better known as ICASH.

“We were very leery, not knowing about the program,” said Heidi Gee, Adden’s daughter. “We looked it up and did some research and said, this is legit.”

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In about a month after that call, and follow-up work with Blevins, a check was delivered to Adden that included a few hundred dollars in interest. It was owed to her from a life insurance policy paid into for more than 30 years before her husband, John, died about five years ago.

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said people often meet initial calls with skepticism. That’s why he encourages people to proactively check the treasurer’s website a couple of times a year to see if they may have unclaimed cash. If you’re skeptical about a phone call, hang up and call the treasurer’s office or your local state representative.

Right now, there’s more than $3.5 billion in an account in Springfield waiting to be claimed by its rightful owners.

“I hear from people all the time who say, ‘Well treasurer I’m good of keeping track of my money. You wouldn’t have mine. I don’t lose my money.’ And that may be true,” Frerichs said Thursday during a news conference at Vella’s office on Mulford Road. “You may not have lost the money that was in your possession, but maybe someone else owed you money that never got to you and you were unaware.”

Arlene Adden
Arlene Adden, 93, talks with reporters on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at state Rep. Dave Vella’s office about receiving money through Illinois’ unclaimed property, or ICASH, program. She’s flanked by Treasurer Michael Frerichs and her daughter, Heidi Gee. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

The news conference was held to urge people to check whether they have unclaimed cash and to recognize Blevins for his work putting money back in residents’ hands. With Blevins help, Vella has returned a record-setting $1.3 million in unclaimed cash to constituents since taking office in 2021. About $1 million of that was in Vella’s first term.

“With inflation and gas prices the way they are right now, I want residents of my district to know that this forgotten money is there, waiting to be claimed,” Vella said. “And when they’re ready to reclaim it, my office is here to help them every step of the way.”

Gee and Adden are illustrative of the large and small sums that may be waiting for you through the ICASH program.

“Because of her situation, I checked myself, (and) I had a claim in there,” Gee said.

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Gee was owed $80 from an old PayPal account. Her payment was approved March 1 and she received it five days later.

“We’ve been spreading the word to family and friends: check this website. It’s very easy,” Gee said. “It’s a great program, and I hope others learn from it and check it out too.”

Companies hold on to unclaimed cash for a multitude of reasons: maybe it was mailed to the wrong address or someone threw a check away thinking it was junk mail. Or it could be a life insurance policy someone didn’t know they were entitled to.

That money is turned over to the state twice a year.

Most of the money held in Springfield is cash, but there are also securities such as stocks and assets including crypto currency. There are also three vaults with physical properties, such as items left behind in a security deposit box.

“A lot of times this money comes into us because somebody had money in a bank account but didn’t tell their loved ones,” Frerichs said.

Illinois state Rep. Dave Vella, D-Loves Park, presents Nathan Blevins with a thank-you award on Thursday, April 6, 2023, for his work helping return more than $1 million in unclaimed cash to local residents. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

He said people should check for themselves, family members, businesses, nonprofits or their church.

“Since I’ve been treasurer, I myself have had three claims in that time,” said Frerichs, who took office in 2015.

Vella also presented Blevins with a thank-you award in recognition of his efforts to return more than $1 million to constituents.

“Even with his help we are not going to return everything that we have because more will be coming in,” Frerichs said. “Nathan, I’m sorry, you think you’re working yourself out of a job by returning everything that’s out there, there will still be work to be done in the future.”

“I’ll be here for it,” Blevins said.

How to check if you have unclaimed cash

Go to icash.illinoistreasurer.gov and click “get started” to enter your name or business name into the search bar.


This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas

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