Resource Library
Free, plain-English guides for Illinois homeowners and heirs — written to answer the questions we hear every day. No email required, no paywall.
New Law · Updated July 2026
Illinois' HB 4537 (signed July 11, 2026) created a surplus equity fund. If you lost a Cook County property to a tax deed since July 2024, you may recover the equity above your tax debt — but a claim deadline applies.
Self-Check · New Law · July 2026
A practical self-check for former owners and heirs: who qualifies under the new surplus equity fund, who doesn’t, and the three records that answer it — free.
Guide · New Law · July 2026
The claim process HB 4537 created, in plain English: the deadlines, the documents, the valuation, where the petition is filed, and how payment works — whether you file yourself or get help.
News · Updated July 2026
A federal judge found Cook County tax sales illegally stripped owners of their equity. What the ruling means, who may be owed money, and how it differs from foreclosure surplus funds.
Guide
A plain-English explanation of surplus funds (also called overages or excess proceeds), who legally owns them, and why so much goes unclaimed.
Guide
A practical checklist for former Illinois homeowners and heirs who want to know whether a foreclosure sale left money behind.
Guide
What actually happens between discovering a surplus and receiving a check — whether you do it yourself or use a recovery firm.
Guide
Surpluses don't disappear when the former owner passes away — they pass to the estate and heirs. Here's how Illinois families recover them.
Guide
The money is real — which is exactly why scammers circle it. Here's how to tell a legitimate recovery firm from a predator.
Guide
If nobody claims a foreclosure surplus, the money takes a journey — and the rules change at each stop. Here's the lifecycle.
Guide
The same dollars, two very different processes. Where your surplus currently sits determines how you claim it and what recovery help can cost.
Get a free, no-obligation records review. No upfront cost — we're only paid if you recover.
