Rutherford Returns $30 Million in Unclaimed Money

Illinois state Treasurer Dan Rutherford says his office has returned nearly $30 million in previously unclaimed property to 15,000 owners in the first three months of 2014.

Rutherford credited the success of the "I-Cash" program to the employees who oversee it.

The office's Unclaimed Property Division has more than $1.8 billion in cash from inactive bank accounts, utility deposits, insurance policies, paychecks and other sources that are turned over to the treasurer when their owners cannot be found immediately. That doesn't include contents in safe deposit boxes left for at least five years.

The program returned $139 million in cash and other assets to rightful owners in 2013 — a 69 percent increase from 2010.

Potential claimants may search online for unclaimed property.