Tips and Info on Your Second Installment Property Tax Bill

Here are some helpful tips for understanding and paying your bill:

1. THE SECOND INSTALLMENT BILL REPRESENTS 45% OF YOUR TOTAL PROPERTY TAX BILL. YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID 55% OF YOUR TAX BILL. So, if this installment of your property tax bill seems lower to you, IT IS!!

2. YOUR ENTIRE HOMEOWNER'S EXEMPTION, SENIOR EXEMPTION AND/OR OTHER EXEMPTIONS ARE REFLECTED ON YOUR SECOND INSTALLMENT PROPERTY TAX BILL.

3. IF YOU FILED A HOMEOWNER'S EXEMPTION APPLICATION AFTER APRIL, IT WILL NOT BE REFLECTED ON THIS SECOND INSTALLMENT BILL. This does not mean you are not entitled to a homeowner's exemption or that you are entitled to a Certificate of Error. It DOES mean that you will receive an adjusted tax bill before the due date reflecting the exemption. THIS IS ONLY IF YOU FILED YOUR APPLICATION AFTER APRIL AND YOU HAVE PROVIDED THE NECESSARY PROOF TO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE (i.e. a Driver's License reflecting your current address as of January 1 of that tax year).

4. THIS BILL IS FOR YOUR PREVIOUS YEAR'S PROPERTY TAXES. IF YOU FILED AN ASSESSOR'S OFFICE APPEAL, ANY REDUCTIONS YOU RECEIVED WILL NOT BE REFLECTED ON THIS SECOND INSTALLMENT BILL. THOSE SAVINGS, IF ANY, WILL BE REFLECTED ON THE SECOND INSTALLMENT BILL THE NEXT YEAR.

5. Even if you have missed the deadline to file an appeal with the Assessor's Office, there is still time to file an appeal with the Cook County Board of Review. It is not necessary to file an Assessor's Office appeal in order to file an appeal with the Board of Review. BOARD OF REVIEW APPEALS OPEN IN AUGUST.

6. IF YOU FILED AN APPEAL FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S PROPERTY TAXES, ANY REDUCTION YOU RECEIVED SHOULD BE REFLECTED ON YOUR SECOND INSTALLMENT BILLS PAYABLE THE NEXT YEAR (YOUR CURRENT BILL).

7.You may pay your Second Installment Property Tax Bill online at cookcountytreasurer.com from a checking or savings account; at any of nearly 400 Chase Bank locations; through your Mortgage Escrow (confirm information with your lender); by mail; or at a participating community bank location.

8. If paying in full, please refer to the payment schedule on the front of the tax bill and pay only the amount that corresponds to the date that the payment envelope is postmarked by the US Postal Service.

For a completely free, no obligation analysis of potential savings for your property taxes, please send an email to me at Lauren@easytaxappeals.com or visit the "contact" tab of my website www.easytaxappeals.com. Please include name, preferred email address and phone, PIN (if known), and your complete property address, including whether you have purchased or refinanced your property in the last 3 years.