Cook County Property Tax Bills Arrive After Months of Delays and Finger-Pointing

Cook County property owners are about to get an early gift this holiday season: their long-delayed property tax bills will be available online Tuesday — and due Dec. 30, officials said.

That means the second-installment of property owners’ 2021 tax bills will be more than 150 days late amid months of bureaucratic wrangling and finger pointing among Cook County officials. In a typical year, this bill is due Aug. 1.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement she was relieved the bills will go out, and be due, before the end of the year. Hard copies should arrive in mailboxes across the county no later than Dec. 1, officials said.

“I am grateful for the efforts of the separately elected officials to ensure tax bills are issued in 2022 to allow property owners to take full advantage of state and local tax deductions in their federal taxes,” Preckwinkle said.

Assessor Fritz Kaegi blamed the delay on the Cook County Board of Review for not helping upgrade the assessor’s computer system. But Board of Review Member Larry Rogers, Jr. said Kaegi was at fault for not using the old system as well as the new system to avoid delays.

For residents of Chicago, the bills will reflect the first reassessment of the city of Chicago under Kaegi, who won a second term in office on Nov. 8.

Kaegi unseated one of the most powerful politicians in Cook County in 2018 by vowing to overhaul the county’s unjust and error-ridden property tax assessment system to make it more equitable, transparent and free from political influence.

In May, Kaegi told WTTW News that the results of the Chicago reassessment could result in a consequential change in how Cook County’s property tax burden is carved up, with homeowners carrying less of the load.

But in a report released Monday, Kaegi’s office said the Cook County Board of Review shifted more of the city’s assessed value to homeowners. That means homeowners, not the owners of commercial properties, are bearing more of the tax burden this year than last year, according to the report.

That will likely mean Chicago homeowners will likely see the amount due on the property tax bills headed their way stay flat or rise slightly, according to the report from Kaegi’s office.

Property Tax Savings for Veterans 

In honor of their sacrifice and service, the Assessor's Office proudly approved property-tax-saving exemptions for more than 10,000 veteran families this year. 

The Assessor’s Office administers both the Veterans with Disabilities and the Returning Veterans Exemptions, which can reduce the property tax bills of veterans.  

The Veterans with Disabilities Exemption is for veterans with a service-connected disability as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The exemption reduces the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) on the primary residence of a veteran with a disability, very likely lowering the tax bill. The amounts of those EAV deductions depend on the percentage of disability. Veterans are required to apply annually.

The Returning Veterans Exemption is for veterans returning from active duty in armed conflict are eligible to receive a $5,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value of their property only for each taxable year in which they return. Veterans are required to apply annually. 

The 2021 tax year exemption filing period is now closed, however veteran homeowners who believe they may have been eligible for exemptions in prior tax years can apply for a Certificate of Error. The Certificate of Error process provides homeowners an opportunity to redeem missing exemptions going back 5 years.

Veterans with Disabilities Exemption

This Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities is for veterans with a service-connected disability as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The exemption reduces certain amounts of the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) on the primary residence of a veteran with a disability, very likely lowering the tax bill. The amounts of those EAV deductions depend on the level of disability. Veterans 70% or more disabled receive an EAV reduction of $250,000, and because of this can be totally exempt from property taxes on their home. This exemption usually requires annual renewal.

Returning Veterans Exemption

A Returning Veterans Exemption is for veterans returning from active duty in armed conflict. They are eligible to receive a $5,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value of their property only for each taxable year in which they return.

Automatic Renewal: No, this exemption must be filed annually.

How can a homeowner see which exemptions were applied to their home last year?

Check the Cook County Portal website, then review the Exemption History and Status section. 

📌 Reminder: Exemptions appear on your second installment tax bill issued in the summer. To learn more about how the property tax system works, click here. 

Missing Property Tax Exemptions? Homeowners can apply for Certificates of Error(s)

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If your home was eligible for the Returning Veteran Exemption in tax years 2020, 2019, or 2018 and the exemption was not applied to your property tax bill, the Assessor’s Office can help you obtain a refund through what is called a Certificate of Error. 

Certificate of Error applications for tax years 2020, 2019, or 2018 can be filed now by clicking the links below. As a reminder, it is recommended to apply online so that the application can be easily tracked and our representatives can provide status updates.

Apply Online

Information courtesy of:

https://news.wttw.com