Cook County Extends Deadline for Paying Property Tax Payments without Late Fees

Cook County property owners will have until Oct. 1 to pay the second installment property tax bill which would have been due on Aug. 3 with no late fees, under a measure intended to provide some relief to taxpayers suffering economic hardship as a result of the coronavirus shutdown.

The measure, approved by the Cook County Board last week, waives the late fees that would normally begin accruing in August.

Two Illinois state representatives have introduced similar measures to delay property tax payments statewide.

In addition to providing relief to homeowners, the Cook County measure will also give landlords some room to offer “more leniency to tenants who are struggling to pay rent on time,” Cook County Board of Review Chair Michael Cabonargi, said in an announcement on the Cook County website.

State law imposes a 1.5% per month fee on late property tax payments, which is ordinarily collected by the Cook County Treasurer’s Office. More than $6.5 billion in taxes are due in second-installment payments, according to a news account posted to Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ website.

“It is our hope this measure can help alleviate some of the financial strain and anxiety being experienced by residents and businesses while balancing the fiscal needs of our underlying tax districts,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in the announcement.

A Tax Bill Deferred vs. A Tax Bill Reduced

While any relief is welcome, it’s important to keep in mind that the only way to reduce your tax bill, once you have applied for all exemptions for which you are eligible, is to appeal your assessment.

An appeal ensures that you do not pay more than your fair share in property taxes by taking into account the most up-to-date data relevant to your property.

Expert Help to Determine if Your Property Assessment is Too High

At Kensington Research & Recovery, we have been providing tax relief for homeowners and businesses since 1999, with a proprietary algorithm that helps make the strongest possible case for reducing your assessment. Our clients have a 90% success rate and our clients pay nothing unless they win a reduction.

Give us a call or click on the link below for a free analysis of your tax bill.

Get Your Free Property Tax Reduction Estimate