Find Jersey County Unclaimed Money

Jersey County unclaimed money is handled at the state level through the Illinois Treasurer's ICash program. The county does not run its own unclaimed property program. Jerseyville serves as the county seat. If you have lived or worked in Jersey County at any point, there may be unclaimed funds tied to your old address. It costs nothing to search and only takes a few minutes to check.

Jersey County Treasurer's Office

The Jersey County Treasurer's Office is in charge of mailing and collecting property tax bills for both real estate and mobile homes. The office does not keep an unclaimed property list. For anything related to lost or unclaimed money, the state ICash system is the right place to search.

The Jersey County Treasurer's page has information about tax bills and payment options. If you think you overpaid on property taxes or have an uncashed tax refund check, the Treasurer is the right person to contact about those specific items.

The Jersey County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds handles vital records and other county documents. Clerk Pam Warford can be reached at (618) 498-5571, Option 6 at the office at 200 N. Lafayette in Jerseyville.

The Jersey County Clerk website provides access to county records and services in Jerseyville.

For property tax questions, visit the Treasurer's page or call the county offices. The Treasurer handles tax bills and the Clerk handles most other county records. Neither office holds unclaimed property for the public.

Illinois ICash for Jersey County

The Illinois State Treasurer's ICash system holds all unclaimed money for Jersey County residents. The state holds over $5 billion in unclaimed funds from across Illinois. Some of that money belongs to people who lived in Jerseyville, Grafton, and other parts of Jersey County.

When banks, insurance companies, or other businesses cannot reach the owner of funds after a waiting period, they turn the money over to the state. This includes forgotten bank accounts, uncashed insurance checks, stock dividends, utility deposits, and safe deposit box contents. The state keeps these funds until the owner or an heir steps up to claim them.

Jersey County sits near the St. Louis metro area. People who have moved between Jersey County and the greater Metro East region should check for unclaimed money under all their past addresses. The ICash system covers the whole state, so one search catches everything tied to your name in Illinois.

Search the ICash search portal by name. There is no deadline. Money that has been with the state for decades is still yours to claim.

How to Search for Lost Funds

Go to the ICash website and type your first and last name. The system shows all unclaimed property linked to you. Each result has the type of property, the amount, and the company that reported it. Try old names and different spellings too.

Search for family members as well. Parents, grandparents, and other relatives may have unclaimed money that heirs can claim. If a person has passed away, an heir with a death certificate and proof of relationship can file a claim.

The search takes less than a minute. If you find nothing, try again in a few months. New unclaimed property gets added to the system throughout the year as businesses file their reports with the state.

Types of Unclaimed Property

Unclaimed money in Jersey County can take many forms. Here are the types most often found in the ICash database.

• Old bank accounts from savings or checking accounts that went dormant
• Uncashed checks from employers, insurance companies, or the government
• Life insurance benefits that were never delivered to a beneficiary
• Stock dividends, mutual fund shares, and brokerage balances
• Utility deposits from old electric, gas, or water accounts

Many people do not realize they have unclaimed money. It can come from a job you had years ago, an old apartment deposit, or a bank that merged with another. The amounts range from a few dollars to thousands. There is no charge to look, so it is worth a quick check.

Note: The state adds new unclaimed property records on a rolling basis. A search that comes up empty today could show results in six months.

How to File a Claim

When you find unclaimed money on the ICash site, click the claim button. The website walks you through each step. You need a copy of your ID. If the money is linked to an old Jersey County address, you may also need proof you lived there.

For claims over $2,000, the state needs a notarized claim form. Smaller claims are simpler and faster. Upload your documents at the ICash upload page, email them to unclaimedproperty@illinoistreasurer.gov, or mail them to the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer, P.O. Box 19495, Springfield, IL 62794-9495.

Estate claims need a death certificate and proof of heirship. These take longer because the state verifies the legal chain. The initial review may take up to 90 days, but many claims are processed faster than that. There is no fee at any stage of the claim process.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Jersey County. Search each one if you have lived in the Metro East area or southwestern Illinois.