Jason Plummer, Republican state senator for Illinois’ 55th District, said over 50 constituents attended an I-Cash event in Effingham this week to seek assistance recovering unclaimed funds from the state treasurer’s office, which holds more than $5 billion in assets.Â
“Tough weather could not stop another successful I-Cash event,” said Robert Jason Plummer, according to Facebook. “Over 50 constituents came for assistance in Effingham this week as we work hard to try to return the over $5B in unclaimed assets currently being held by the treasurer’s office. I believe the money should be in the pockets of the rightful owners and we will continue to work hard to return funds. Thank you to all who participated, the support staff, and to the City of Effingham (shout out to Steve Miller, City Administrator helping to coordinate)”
Plummer posted on Facebook about hosting the I-Cash event despite adverse weather conditions. The gathering provided assistance to local constituents seeking to claim unclaimed property.
According to the Illinois Treasurer’s Office, the I-Cash program is responsible for managing unclaimed property within the state. This includes forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, and other assets totaling over $5 billion. In recent years, events like the one in Effingham have supported residents in southern Illinois districts to recover funds. The program returned nearly $276 million statewide in 2023.
Illinois has expanded efforts to return unclaimed property through automatic matching programs. In 2025, the treasurer’s office distributed $45 million to 600,000 residents without requiring claims. This initiative targets smaller amounts but aids broad recovery across regions including Effingham’s county. Additional mailings in 2024 returned $13.2 million to nearly 140,000 Illinoisans.
Nationwide, states hold an estimated $70 billion in unclaimed property from various sources like dormant accounts and refunds. Programs returned $4.49 billion to owners in 2024 according to aggregated data. Approximately one in ten Americans has such assets awaiting claim. Individual states vary with California at $15 billion and Texas over $10 billion.
Plummer has represented Illinois Senate District 55 since 2023 after winning election in 2018. He serves as Assistant Republican Leader in the caucus and previously worked as a naval intelligence officer while holding positions in family businesses including R.P. Lumber. He won re-election in 2024.
