Cook County COVID-19 Property Tax Payment Extension Expires Oct. 1

Wooden block with October 1 deadline

The Cook County COVID-19 property tax payment extension expires Oct. 1, 2020, the last day to pay the second installment tax without penalty.  Typically due Aug. 3, the second installment interest penalties for late payments were postponed in recognition of strained economic conditions caused by the pandemic. Any payments made on or before Oct. 1 will be considered paid on time.

Under state law, late property tax payments are charged 1.5% of the total property taxes owed per month, which is collected by the Cook County Treasurer. Payments made after the Oct. 1 deadline will be subject to late payments.
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Rich Township 2020 Triennial Reassessments Mailed

2020 Triennial reassessment notices were mailed to Rich Township homeowners on Thursday, September 24, 2020. Homeowners in Rich Township have 35 days to appeal their assessment at the Assessor’s office (there will be a second opportunity to appeal later in the year at the Board of Review, whether you appeal at the Assessor’s office or not). The deadline for appealing at the Assessor’s office is October 30th.

We recommend homeowners review their assessment annually, particularly in a triennial reassessment year, to ensure they do not pay more than their fair share in property taxes. Successfully appealing in a reassessment year may provide 3 years of savings on future property tax bills. If you would like a free analysis of your Rich Township home, in comparison to similar properties, we would be happy to conduct a “no obligation” analysis and provide you with a free estimate of how much we believe we could help you save with an appeal.
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Error Leaves Some Thornton, Proviso Homeowners Waiting for COVID Adjustments

Error Leaves Some Thornton, Proviso Homeowners Waiting for COVID AdjustmentsSome homeowners in Thornton and Proviso Townships will have to wait a little longer to learn how next year’s property tax bill will be impacted by the Cook County Assessor’s adjustment for COVID-19 hardships.

That’s because a processing error left some properties out when the office was applying COVID adjustments to the property tax assessment in those townships, according to a press release. The error does not affect this year’s tax bill because the adjustments will be factored in assessed values used to calculate next year’s property tax bills.
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Lake Township 2020 Assessment Notices Mailed


2020 property assessment notices were mailed by the Cook County Assessor’s office on Wednesday September 23, 2020, to Lake Township property owners. The following cities, towns, and villages are in Lake Township: Back of the Yards and Englewood. The window to appeal your 2020 assessed value is now open until the deadline of October 29th 2020.

We suggest property owners review their assessments annually and appeal whenever there is a strong evidence based argument that your home may not be assessed fairly. Lake Township’s next triennial reassessment is scheduled for 2021. However, if you feel that your assessment is not fair there is no need to wait to appeal, property owners have the right to appeal every year at the Assessor’s office and at the Board of Review. If you’d like a professional opinion on your home’s assessed value as it compares to similar properties in your neighborhood contact us for a free, no obligation, review and analysis of your home.
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Northfield Township 2020 Assessment Notices Mailed

2020 property assessment notices were mailed by the Cook County Assessor’s office on Tuesday, September 15, 2020, to Northfield Township property owners. The following cities, towns, and villages are in Northfield Township: Glencoe, Glenview, Northbrook (majority), Northfield (west 3/4), Prospect Heights (east edge), Wilmette (west edge), and Des Plaines (north edge). The window to appeal your 2020 assessed value is now open until the deadline of October 21st.

We recommend property owners review their assessments annually and appeal whenever there is a strong evidence based argument that your home may not be assessed fairly. Northfield Township was reassessed in 2019 but even if you appealed last year you may appeal your assessment again this year. A successful appeal in 2020 may result in two years of savings, until Northfield is reassessed in 2022. The best way to ensure you never pay more than your fair share in property taxes is to review your assessment every year and appeal whenever you have a strong basis for an appeal argument, no matter where your township is at in the triennial reassessment cycle.
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Bremen Township 2020 Triennial Reassessments Mailed


2020 Triennial reassessment notices were mailed to Bremen Township homeowners on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. Homeowners in Bremen Township have 35 days to appeal their assessment at the Assessor’s office (there will be a second opportunity to appeal later in the year at the Board of Review, whether you appeal at the Assessor’s office or not). The deadline for appealing at the Assessor’s office is October 22nd.

We recommend homeowners review their assessment annually, particularly in a triennial reassessment year, to ensure they do not pay more than their fair share in property taxes. Successfully appealing in a reassessment year may provide 3 years of savings on future property tax bills. If you would like a free analysis of your Bremen Township home, in comparison to similar properties, we would be happy to conduct a “no obligation” analysis and provide you with a free estimate of how much we believe we could help you save with an appeal.

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Board of Review Opens Group 1 for 2020 Appeals

The Cook County Board of Review has opened 2020 property tax appeals for the first group of 3 townships. The Board’s deadline to appeal your 2020 assessed value is October 13th. Below are the townships that are currently open in Group 1:

    • Calumet
    • Palos
    • Rogers Park

If you missed your appeal opportunity at the Assessor’s office earlier in the year, or if you did appeal and weren’t satisfied with the result, you have a second opportunity to appeal at the Board of Review. Appealing your home’s 2020 assessed value is the only way to achieve property tax relief on your second installment property tax bill in July 2021, other than selling your home or claiming a new exemption. Assessments can be appealed every year, regardless of when a township was reassessed. Continue reading →

Get Started Appealing Your Assessment with the Ease of Clickable E-Signature

customer provides electronic signatureProperty owners can now sign property tax appeal forms electronically – with no need to obtain the services of a notary

At Kensington, our services are designed to help property owners save time and money, and we put a premium on making things as convenient for our clients as possible.

These days, however, there’s more than convenience to be gained in streamlining the process.  Our adoption of e-signature capability means you don’t have to go out searching for a notary to notarize your documents. That’s an unnecessary risk in a pandemic year. But it’s also time you can put to better use, as the process of appealing your assessment is now easier than ever.

To accommodate the need for social distancing safeguards, the Cook County Assessor’s Office no longer requires the notarizing of forms to start the appeal process: a digital signature is all you need. The start of your appeal is just a few clicks away.

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Chicago Public Schools Budget includes $130 Million in Added Property Tax Revenues

Listening Tour A Chance to Question Cook County Assessor

The Chicago Public School’s proposed budget for 2021 includes $3.2 billion in property tax revenue, a $130 million increase from last year, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The district’s property tax bite is an increase of 2.3%, the maximum allowed under the state’s tax cap law, which limits property tax hikes to the lower of 5% or the rate of inflation.

The proposed $8.4 billion budget, which also includes an anticipated infusion of federal assistance, will increase spending by more than half a billion dollars, the Tribune reports.
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Hanover Township 2020 Assessment Notices Mailed

2020 property assessment notices were mailed by the Cook County Assessor’s office on Thursday, September 10th 2020, to Hanover Township property owners. The following cities, towns, and villages are in Hanover Township: Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg (west edge), South Barrington (south edge), and Streamwood. The window to appeal your 2020 assessed value is now open until the deadline of October 15th.

We recommend property owners review their assessments annually and appeal whenever there is a strong evidence based argument that your home may not be assessed fairly. Hanover Township was reassessed in 2019 but even if you appealed last year you may appeal your assessment again this year. A successful appeal in 2020 may result in two years of savings, until Hanover is reassessed in 2022. The best way to ensure you never pay more than your fair share in property taxes is to review your assessment every year and appeal whenever you have a strong basis for an appeal argument, no matter where your township is at in the triennial reassessment cycle.
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