Property Tax Appeal Process in Cook and Collar Counties

[Account Closed]

You may have just looked at your property taxes and were shocked at the amount you are responsible to pay. Property taxes are a significant financial burden which makes it all the more important to make sure your property taxes reflect an accurate valuation of your property. After all, the property tax you are responsible for paying is based on your property’s assessed value. If you think your property taxes are too high because your property’s assessed value is incorrect, you may file an appeal.

If you think your property taxes are incorrect, heres what you need to know.

WHAT IS THE PROPERTY TAX APPEAL PROCESS FOR ILLINOIS?

The assessor could have assessed your property’s market value above the actual fair market value. Maybe the assessor valued your property based on inaccurate measurements of your property. No matter what the reason for the incorrect valuation of your property and resulting higher property taxes, you have a right to appeal the decision of the assessor.

There are several ways you may appeal your property taxes in Illinois. First, you might want to consider an informal appeal. Try contacting the assessment office for your township or county to voice your concerns over how your property was valued and the resulting calculation of property taxes. The earlier you do so, the better. The assessor may still have the assessment books for that year in his or her possession and can go ahead and change an incorrect assessment if presented with compelling evidence. Some offices may require you to file an official, written complaint form and provide certain evidence. Evidence may come in the form of records of sales of properties similar to yours or records of past appraisals. You may also need to appear for a hearing.

You can also file a written formal appeal with your county board of review. Be sure to understand the specific requirements and deadlines for your county or township’s review board in appealing your property taxes. Different townships open the appeal process at different times of the year. If your township has closed for appeal, you must wait until the next year’s tax assessment to appeal. If you do not know what township you reside in, you can find it on your property tax bill. Know that a written appeal to the county board of review is a prerequisite to making any further appeals with the State Property Tax Appeal Board or the county circuit court.

If you have tried to appeal to your county board of review and are still not in agreement with their assessment of your property, you can file a written appeal of this decision to the State Property Tax Board or file a tax objection in the circuit court for your county. You must still pay your taxes while the decision is pending appeal.

MAKING SURE YOU ARE NOT BEING OVERCHARGED FOR PROPERTY TAXES.

Property taxes can be a big financial burden. The above is not meant to be an exhaustive tutorial of how to file appeals as the actual process and strategy will vary based upon the township and county the property falls within, whether it is a commercial or residential property, etc.

The basic premise is that whether you hire a law firm to file your appeal or you file the appeal yourself, taxes should never go un-appealed as you are almost certainly paying more than your fair share.