2026

Treasurer Frerichs presents an oversized check made out to St. Jude Children's Hospital. The second man is Illinois Senator Robert Martwick.

April 23, 2026

Illinois Treasurer Frerichs Eclipses $2.5 Billion in Money Returned to Residents, Businesses, Nonprofits

Record-Setting I-Cash Returns Include $440,000 a Late Bolingbrook Couple Left to St. Jude Children’s Hospital Key points: VIDEO WILL BE POSTED HERE: Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced he has returned over $2.5 billion in missing money on his watch, breaking all records in an I-Cash program that has been around since the 1960s. More than 2.5 million people, nonprofits, and businesses have been reunited with their missing money since Frerichs took office in 2015. Frerichs modernized I-Cash, allowing…

About 40 high school students posing with Treasurer Frerichs

April 21, 2026

Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley High Schools Take Top Spots in Statewide Financial Literacy Contest, Win Bright Start College Savings Scholarships

Treasurer Michael Frerichs Hosts 2026 Illinois Personal Finance Challenge Key Points: VIDEO is available here: video available here: A team of four students from Naperville Central High School will compete in the National Personal Finance Challenge in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 31-June 1 after winning a statewide financial literacy contest sponsored by Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. Naperville Central students Harsh Patel, Krish Patel, Taran Nathan and Rohan Jain outscored nine other teams in the finals of the Illinois…

April 9, 2026

Investing in Farmers

I enjoy driving through downstate Illinois this time of year when farmers are planting in the fields. It means spring has arrived and reminds me of riding on my grandfather’s tractor as a kid. It gives me a sense of optimism. Farming is an annual gamble. A lot of time and money goes into putting a crop in the field. There could be a drought, or a flood, or tariffs could drive down the price of corn and soybeans, and…

A young Treasurer Frerichs, around age 12, running a race outside with other boys

March 30, 2026

Start Saving Today for Your Kids’ Tomorrow

In my last note, I wrote to you about running track, and some people asked if I did the “field” part of track and field. The short answer: Yes, but there was room for improvement. I think I was the tallest fifth grader when I went out for the track team. I had long arms. My dad was tall, and his dad was tall. Coach knew this and decided I should throw discus. Sure, I was skinny, but his logic…

A field of yellow-green wheat, with trees and the sky taking up part of the frame

March 24, 2026

Treasurer Michael Frerichs Opens 2026 Cream of the Crop Photography Contest for Young Illinois Residents

Top Winners Will Receive $1,000 Bright Start College Savings Scholarships Key Points: Young people ages 8 to 18 are eligible for the photo contest, which focuses on Illinois agriculture. First-, second-, and third-place winners in each of three age categories will receive Bright Start scholarships of up to $1,000. Entry deadline is June 12, 2026. Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is calling on young Illinois photographers to submit their agriculture-related photos for the 2026 Cream of the Crop Photography Contest.…

Treasurer Frerichs as a boy around age 12 running a race outside with other boys

March 16, 2026

Pushing Ourselves to Improve

When I was a kid, the sign outside my hometown read “Gifford 800.” My eighth-grade class at Gifford Grade School was about 24 kids. And we were a big class. So it’s no surprise I didn’t have a lot of choices of sports to play. In the fall, the only option was baseball. In the winter, basketball. In the spring, track and field. I wasn’t that good at baseball, but I enjoyed being part of a team with my friends.…

Treasurer Frerichs returns a Purple Heart medal to the daughter of a World War II veteran

March 13, 2026

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs Returns WWII Purple Heart Medal Earned by Chicago Soldier

Family Says the Late Russell Reilly Loved St. Patrick’s Day VIDEO, SOUND BITES, B-ROLL FOR MEDIA USE AVAILABLE HERE Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is announcing the return of a missing Purple Heart medal to the family of a World War II veteran who loved to celebrate his Irish heritage every March 17. Little is known about how Russell J. Reilly lost his right leg in combat other than the simple, short explanation he offered his…

Treasurer Frerichs with the 8 recipients of awards in honor of Women's History Month 2026

March 12, 2026

Treasurer Michael Frerichs Presents Awards to Eight Illinois Leaders in Honor of Women’s History Month

Grammy-Nominated Violinist, CEOs of Feeding America and Northern Illinois Food Bank, Retired Illinois State Superintendent of Education, and Special Olympics Athlete Among Those Who Are Recognized for Their Contributions Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to commemorate Women’s History Month and pay tribute to the enduring impact of women in shaping history and benefiting society. The event, held in the Illinois Room at 555 W. Monroe St. in Chicago, was an opportunity to reflect on the great…

Treasurer Frerichs stands at a podium as four people, including one using a wheelchair, are beside him

March 9, 2026

State Treasurer Frerichs Announces 250,000 More Illinoisans with Disabilities Eligible for ABLE Accounts

Change in Law Increases Age from 26 to 46 Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced that an estimated 250,000 Illinoisans with a disability are now eligible to open ABLE accounts that allow them to save and invest money to improve the quality of life without risking federal benefits. The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which Congress passed in 2014, required that people had to have acquired their disability before their 26th birthday. A change in the law, effective this year, raised the…

March 4, 2026

Connectivity Creates Competitiveness

I recently read a description of an outhouse: A small building a hundred feet from your house that’s a hundred feet too far in the winter, and a hundred feet too close in the summer. This reminded me of a conversation I had with Dad a few years ago. I grew up with indoor plumbing. Every friend I knew had indoor plumbing. My father did not until he was about 8. Before then, he had to use an outhouse and…