755 ILCS 5/ Probate Act of 1975.

(755 ILCS 5/24-20) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 24-20)

Sec. 24-20. Deposit of unclaimed money. Before July 1, 2024, when the receipt of a ward, a distributee of an estate, or a claimant cannot be obtained for money or any other asset of the estate, the representative by leave of court may sell the asset and deposit the net proceeds together with any other money of the estate belonging to the ward, distributee, or claimant with the county treasurer of the county in which the estate is being administered. The representative shall notify the county treasurer in writing of the identity of the persons entitled thereto and, if known, their last known post office address. The county treasurer shall give the representative a receipt therefor which shall be filed in the court. The person entitled to the money so deposited may obtain it, plus interest at a rate equal to the average interest rate on 3 month United States Treasury Bills issued during the time the money was on deposit, upon application to the court and satisfactory proof of his right thereto.

On or after July 1, 2024, when the receipt of a ward, a distributee of an estate, or a claimant cannot be found, the representative shall report and remit the share of the missing person to the State Treasurer for disposition under the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act.

(Source: P.A. 103-148, eff. 6-30-23.)

(755 ILCS 5/24-21) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 24-21)

Sec. 24-21. Deposit or investment of money of a ward, subject to court order.

(a) If the estate of a ward consists only of money, on the petition of the representative of the estate or of the representative of an estate of which the ward is a legatee or heir, or of any other interested person, or on its own motion, the court may, if it appears practicable and to the best interests of the ward to do so, order the money (1) deposited in a bank to the credit of the ward at interest or otherwise but, unless otherwise authorized by the court, only to an amount not exceeding the amount for which it is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or (2) deposited in any state or federal savings and loan association but, unless otherwise authorized by the court, only to an amount not exceeding the amount for which it is insured by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, or (3) invested in United States obligations and deposited for safekeeping for the account of the ward in a bank or trust company qualified to accept and execute trusts in this State, or with the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States or in a Federal Reserve Bank or in such other agency as may be designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, or (4) invested in shares of any state or federal credit union to the credit of the ward at interest or otherwise to an amount not exceeding the amount for which said shares are insured as required by The Illinois Credit Union Act or the Federal Credit Union Act, as applicable, or (5) deposited in a qualified tuition program under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. The receipt of the bank or trust company constitutes a voucher for accounting purposes. Amounts deposited pursuant to clauses (1), (2) and (4) herein, in excess of the amount insured by the United States or any agency thereof shall be secured by a surety bond taken from a surety authorized to transact business in this State in such sum, under such conditions and with such security sufficient to save the estate from loss.

(b) If a representative of the estate has been appointed for a ward, the court may direct the representative to file a final account and excuse him from further duty and release him and the sureties on his bond, until further order of court.

(c) On the petition of the spouse, parent or person standing in loco parentis to or having responsibility for the custody or support of the ward, the court may order any money so deposited or invested to be withdrawn and used for the comfort, support, education or other benefit of the ward or his dependents. The petitioner shall appear in open court unless his appearance is excused by the court and shall furnish such evidence of the necessity for the withdrawal as the court may require. The bank of deposit or agency for safekeeping shall be released in making payment or delivery (1) in accordance with the order of the court, (2) directly to the ward upon his attaining legal age or restoration, as the case may be, or (3) directly to the representative of the ward in case of his death, and in any such case it may not be required to see to the application or disposition of the funds or property.

(Source: P.A. 102-189, eff. 1-1-22.)

(755 ILCS 5/24-22) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 24-22)

Sec. 24-22. Interest of administrator of veterans affairs.) The interest of the Administrator of Veterans Affairs in the estate of a ward shall be limited to that part of the estate, invested or uninvested, which is derived from payments made directly to the estate by the Veterans Administration. When a part of the estate of a ward is derived from sources other than the Veterans Administration, it is presumed that authorized or approved expenditures made under Section 11-13 are made first out of receipts from the Veterans Administration unless it appears otherwise from the order of court authorizing or approving the expenditures.

(Source: P.A. 79-328.)

(755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV heading) ARTICLE XXV SMALL ESTATES

(755 ILCS 5/25-1) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 25-1)

Sec. 25-1. Payment or delivery of small estate of decedent upon affidavit.

(a) When any person, corporation, or financial institution (1) indebted to or holding personal estate of a decedent, (2) controlling the right of access to decedent's safe deposit box or (3) acting as registrar or transfer agent of any evidence of interest, indebtedness, property or right is furnished with a small estate affidavit in substantially the form hereinafter set forth, that person, corporation, or financial institution shall pay the indebtedness, grant access to the safe deposit box, deliver the personal estate or transfer or issue the evidence of interest, indebtedness, property or right to persons and in the manner specified in the affidavit or to an agent appointed as hereinafter set forth.

(b) Small Estate Affidavit

I, (name of affiant) , on oath state:

1. (a) My post office address is: ;

(b) My residence address is: ; and

(c) I understand that, if I am an out-of-state resident, I submit myself to the jurisdiction of Illinois courts for all matters related to the preparation and use of this affidavit. My agent for service of process in Illinois is: NAME.......................... ADDRESS....................... CITY.......................... TELEPHONE (IF ANY)............ I understand that if no person is named above as my agent for service or, if for any reason, service on the named person cannot be effectuated, the clerk of the circuit court of ......(County) (Judicial Circuit) Illinois is recognized by Illinois law as my agent for service of process.

2. The decedent's name is ;

3. The date of the decedent's death was , and I have attached a copy of the death certificate hereto.

4. The decedent's place of residence immediately before his death was ;

5. No letters of office are now outstanding on the decedent's estate and no petition for letters is contemplated or pending in Illinois or in any other jurisdiction, to my knowledge;

6. The gross value of the decedent's entire personal estate, including the value of all property passing to any party either by intestacy or under a will, does not exceed $100,000. (Here, list each asset, e.g., cash, stock, and its fair market value.);

7. (a) All of the decedent's funeral expenses and other debts have been paid, or

(b) All of the decedent's known unpaid debts are listed and classified as follows (include the name, post office address, and amount):

Class 1: funeral and burial expenses, which include reasonable amounts paid for a burial space, crypt, or niche; a marker on the burial space; and care of the burial space, crypt, or niche; expenses of administration; and statutory custodial claims as follows:

..........................................................

Class 2: the surviving spouse's award or child's award, if applicable, as follows:

..........................................................

Class 3: debts due the United States, as follows:

..........................................................

Class 4: money due employees of the decedent of not more than $800 for each claimant for services rendered within 4 months prior to the decedent's death and expenses attending the last illness, as follows:

..........................................................

Class 5: money and property received or held in trust by the decedent which cannot be identified or traced, as follows:

..........................................................

Class 6: debts due the State of Illinois and any county, township, city, town, village, or school district located within Illinois, as follows:

..........................................................

Class 7: all other claims, as follows:

..........................................................

(Strike either 7(a) or 7(b)).

7.5. I understand that all valid claims against the decedent's estate described in paragraph 7 must be paid by me from the decedent's estate before any distribution is made to any heir or legatee. I further understand that the decedent's estate should pay all claims in the order set forth above, and if the decedent's estate is insufficient to pay the claims in any one class, the claims in that class shall be paid pro rata.

8. There is no known unpaid claimant or contested claim against the decedent, except as stated in paragraph 7.

9. (a) The names and places of residence of any surviving spouse, minor children and adult dependent* children of the decedent are as follows:

*(Note: An adult dependent child is one who is unable to maintain himself and is likely to become a public charge.)

(b) The award allowable to the surviving spouse of a decedent who was an Illinois resident is $.......... ($20,000, plus $10,000 multiplied by the number of minor children and adult dependent children who resided with the surviving spouse at the time of the decedent's death. If any such child did not reside with the surviving spouse at the time of the decedent's death, so indicate).

(c) If there is no surviving spouse, the award allowable to the minor children and adult dependent children of a decedent who was an Illinois resident is $.......... ($20,000, plus $10,000 multiplied by the number of minor children and adult dependent children), to be divided among them in equal shares.

10. (a) The decedent left no will. The names, places of residence and relationships of the decedent's heirs, and the portion of the estate to which each heir is entitled under the law where decedent died intestate are as follows:

(b) The decedent left a will, which has been filed with the clerk of an appropriate court. A certified copy of the will on file is attached. To the best of my knowledge and belief the will on file is the decedent's last will and was signed by the decedent and the attesting witnesses as required by law and would be admittable to probate. The names and places of residence of the legatees and the portion of the estate, if any, to which each legatee is entitled are as follows:

(Strike either 10(a) or 10(b)).

(c) Affiant is unaware of any dispute or potential conflict as to the heirship or will of the decedent.

10.3. My relationship to the decedent or the decedent's estate is as follows:.

10.5. (The following paragraph should appear in bold type and in not less than 14-point font):

I understand that the decedent's estate must be distributed first to satisfy claims against the decedent's estate as set forth in paragraph 7.5 of this affidavit before any distribution is made to any heir or legatee. By signing this affidavit, I agree to indemnify and hold harmless all creditors of the decedent's estate, the decedent's heirs and legatees, and other persons, corporations, or financial institutions relying upon this affidavit who incur any loss because of reliance on this affidavit, up to the amount lost because of any act or omission by me. I further understand that any person, corporation, or financial institution recovering under this indemnification provision shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and the expenses of recovery.

11. After payment by me from the decedent's estate of all debts and expenses listed in paragraph 7, any remaining property described in paragraph 6 of this affidavit should be distributed as follows:

Name Specific sum or property to be distributed

The foregoing statement is made under the penalties of perjury*. ......................... Signature of Affiant Signed and sworn before me on (insert date).

.........................Notary Public *(Note: A fraudulent statement made under the penalties of perjury is perjury, as defined in Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of 2012.)

(c) Appointment of Agent. If safe deposit access is involved or if sale of any personal property is desirable to facilitate distribution pursuant to the small estate affidavit, the affiant under the small estate affidavit may in writing appoint one or more persons as the affiant's agent for that purpose. The agent shall have power, without court approval, to gain access to, sell, and distribute the property in the manner specified in paragraphs 7.5 and 11 of the affidavit; and the payment, delivery, transfer, access or issuance shall be made or granted to or on the order of the agent. The affiant may appoint himself or herself as the designated representative to exercise the powers and perform the duties of an agent described in this subsection (c).

(d) Reliance and Release. Any person, corporation, or financial institution who acts in good faith reliance on a copy of a document purporting to be a small estate affidavit that is substantially in compliance with subsection (b) of this Section shall be fully protected and released upon payment, delivery, transfer, access or issuance pursuant to such a document to the same extent as if the payment, delivery, transfer, access or issuance had been made or granted to the representative of the estate. Such person, corporation, or financial institution is not required to see to the application or disposition of the property; but each person to whom a payment, delivery, transfer, access or issuance is made or given is answerable therefor to any person having a prior right and is accountable to any representative of the estate.

(e) Distributions pursuant to an affidavit substantially in the form set forth in subsection (b) of this Section may be made to the affiant, if so specified in paragraph 11, notwithstanding the disclosure of known unpaid debts. The affiant, acting on behalf of the decedent's estate, is obligated to pay all valid claims against the decedent's estate before any distribution is made to any heir or legatee. The affiant signing the small estate affidavit prepared pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section shall indemnify and hold harmless all creditors, heirs, and legatees of the decedent and other persons, corporations, or financial institutions relying upon the affidavit who incur loss because of such reliance. That indemnification shall only be up to the amount lost because of the act or omission of the affiant. Any person, corporation, or financial institution recovering under this subsection (e) shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and the expenses of recovery.

(f) The affiant of a small estate affidavit who is a non-resident of Illinois submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of Illinois courts for all matters related to the preparation or use of the affidavit. The affidavit shall provide the name, address, and phone number of a person whom the affiant names as his agent for service of process. If no such person is named or if, for any reason, service on the named person cannot be effectuated, the clerk of the circuit court of the county or judicial circuit of which the decedent was a resident at the time of his death shall be the agent for service of process.

(g) Any action properly taken under this Section, as amended by Public Act 93-877, on or after August 6, 2004 (the effective date of Public Act 93-877) is valid regardless of the date of death of the decedent.

(h) The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly apply to a decedent whose date of death is on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.

(i) The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly apply to a decedent whose date of death is on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13; 98-836, eff. 1-1-15.)