Illinois Statutes Chapter 225. Professions,Occupations and Business Operations § 429/65. Trust funds; requirements and restrictions

(a) All funds received by a debt settlement provider or his agent from and for the purpose of paying bills, invoices, or accounts of a debtor shall constitute trust funds owned by and belonging to the debtor from whom they were received. All such funds received by the debt settlement provider shall be separated from the funds of the debt settlement provider not later than the end of the business day following receipt by the debt settlement provider. All such funds shall be kept separate and apart at all times from funds belonging to the debt settlement provider or any of its officers, employees, or agents and may be used for no purpose other than paying bills, invoices, or accounts of the debtor. All such trust funds received at the main or branch offices of a debt settlement provider shall be deposited in a bank in an account in the name of the debt settlement provider-designated trust account, or by some other appropriate name indicating that the funds are not the funds of the debt settlement provider or its officers, employees, or agents, on or before the close of the business day following receipt.

(b) Such funds are not subject to attachment, lien, levy of execution, or sequestration by order of court except by a debtor for whom a debt settlement provider is acting as an agent in paying bills, invoices, or accounts.

(c) At least once every month, the debt settlement provider shall render an accounting to the debtor that shall itemize the total amount received from the debtor, the total amount paid each creditor, the amount of charges deducted, and any amount held in reserve, if applicable, and the status of each of the debtors' enrolled accounts. A debt settlement provider shall, in addition, provide such an accounting to a debtor within 7 days after written demand, but not more than 3 times per 6-month period.

(d) Nothing in this Act requires the establishment of a trust account if no consumer funds other than earned settlement fees are held or controlled by a debt settlement provider.