COLLINSVILLE – State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, is highlighting a program to help local taxpayers and small businesses locate their uncashed checks issued by the State of Illinois through Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s Check for Cash program.
“Taxpayers and our local small business owners work hard for every dollar they earn, so I think it is important to highlight this service offered by the comptroller that can help people locate money that is rightfully theirs,” said Stuart. “Using Check for Cash to search for an uncashed check is easy, and it could potentially help someone discover a check they had forgotten about or never even knew existed.”
Each year, the State of Illinois uses thousands of checks that go uncashed, most frequently to state employees, small businesses doing business with a state agency and local governments. The Comptroller currently has records of more than 100,000 uncashed checks valuing over $30 million.
Comptroller Mendoza’s Check for Cash website provides a simple way for citizens to find out if an uncashed check is being held in their name and fill out paperwork to make a claim.
“Through our online database, anyone can look up if they have an uncashed check and start the process right there to get that check reissued,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “These checks don’t represent any new spending – they are rightfully owed to someone and I believe we ought to do our part to make sure those taxpayers aren’t shortchanged.”
The Check for Cash website can be found at http://illinoiscomptroller.gov/services/check-for-cash. For information, contact Stuart’s full-time constituent service office at 618-365-6650.
