The property taxation system in Cook County is complex and antiquated. But you do have rights. You just have to enforce those rights. Having a good lawyer guide you along the way can make all the difference in the world. The information on this page is designed to give you more detail about how the system works. However, it is general information and not specific legal advice. If you would like advice that is specific to you and your property, request a free consultation today. You can click the button above or call us directly at (312) 523-2166.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did my property taxes go up so much?
Q: Do I need a lawyer to appeal my taxes?
Q: How much does it cost to appeal my property taxes?
Q: How are my property taxes determined?
Q: When can I file an appeal?
Q: If I appeal will this most recent tax bill be reduced?
Q: What happens if I don’t pay my property taxes?
Q: If I don't pay my property tax bill, can I still sell my property?
Q: Can I appeal my property taxes if I have a condo?
Q: Will my property value go down if I appeal my taxes?
Q: Besides appealing, what else can I do to reduce my property taxes?
Q: Do I need a lawyer to appeal my taxes?
Q: How much does it cost to appeal my property taxes?
Q: How are my property taxes determined?
Q: When can I file an appeal?
Q: If I appeal will this most recent tax bill be reduced?
Q: What happens if I don’t pay my property taxes?
Q: If I don't pay my property tax bill, can I still sell my property?
Q: Can I appeal my property taxes if I have a condo?
Q: Will my property value go down if I appeal my taxes?
Q: Besides appealing, what else can I do to reduce my property taxes?
Q: Why did my property taxes go up so much?
A: The very first step that the County takes to determine your property tax bill is to assign a value to your property. This is called the assessed value. If your tax bill went up, it usually means that the County believes that your property value has gone up. But the County doesn’t always get their value right. When you appeal your taxes you are challenging the county’s valuation of your property.
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A: The very first step that the County takes to determine your property tax bill is to assign a value to your property. This is called the assessed value. If your tax bill went up, it usually means that the County believes that your property value has gone up. But the County doesn’t always get their value right. When you appeal your taxes you are challenging the county’s valuation of your property.
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Q: Do I need a lawyer to appeal my taxes?
A: No, you do not. But you also don’t need a lawyer to file a divorce, or to defend you in a criminal case. But that’s the wrong way to ask this question. It’s not ‘do you need’ a lawyer that you should ask. It’s ‘should you’ have a lawyer that you should be asking. And in our opinion, it is always a good idea to have a lawyer to protect your rights and fight for your interests. If you choose to file without a lawyer and you lose, the lawyer typically cannot get you a do-over. And the lawyers at Robson & Lopez LLC don’t charge you a penny up front. We will only charge you a percentage of what we save you. Call us today.
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A: No, you do not. But you also don’t need a lawyer to file a divorce, or to defend you in a criminal case. But that’s the wrong way to ask this question. It’s not ‘do you need’ a lawyer that you should ask. It’s ‘should you’ have a lawyer that you should be asking. And in our opinion, it is always a good idea to have a lawyer to protect your rights and fight for your interests. If you choose to file without a lawyer and you lose, the lawyer typically cannot get you a do-over. And the lawyers at Robson & Lopez LLC don’t charge you a penny up front. We will only charge you a percentage of what we save you. Call us today.
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Q: How much does it cost to appeal my property taxes?
A: Robson & Lopez LLC charges a contingent fee to appeal your taxes. This means we don’t charge you a dime unless we win your appeal. And even then, we only charge you a percentage of what we save you. That’s right, no money up front. You only pay for results! Call us today, the consultation is free!
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A: Robson & Lopez LLC charges a contingent fee to appeal your taxes. This means we don’t charge you a dime unless we win your appeal. And even then, we only charge you a percentage of what we save you. That’s right, no money up front. You only pay for results! Call us today, the consultation is free!
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Q: How are my property taxes determined?
A: Property taxes in Cook County are determined by a property’s assessment, which is just a fancy way of saying the “value” that is used for taxes. For example, when you hear that Chicago’s tax rate is 7%, that’s 7% of what’s called the final Equalized Assessed Value (“EAV”). The formula to determine your EAV is complicated, but the important part to know is that the base of it is the value that the County assigns to your property. This is important because the value is the part that you appeal when you appeal property taxes, not the amount of property taxes.
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A: Property taxes in Cook County are determined by a property’s assessment, which is just a fancy way of saying the “value” that is used for taxes. For example, when you hear that Chicago’s tax rate is 7%, that’s 7% of what’s called the final Equalized Assessed Value (“EAV”). The formula to determine your EAV is complicated, but the important part to know is that the base of it is the value that the County assigns to your property. This is important because the value is the part that you appeal when you appeal property taxes, not the amount of property taxes.
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Q: When can I file an appeal?
A: There are two levels of appeals in Cook County that you can file. The first level is the Assessor. The second level is the Board of Review. Each level has an open appeal period of about 30 days each year. You must appeal inside of your appeal period or your lose your right to appeal at that level. To find out when your appeal period is you will need to know what Township your property is located in (not city or village, but Township). To find out what Township your property is in, see the next question on this Q&A. Once you know your Township, you can go to the Cook County Assessor website to find your Township's deadlines to appeal. Click HERE to see the list of timelines to appeal.
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A: There are two levels of appeals in Cook County that you can file. The first level is the Assessor. The second level is the Board of Review. Each level has an open appeal period of about 30 days each year. You must appeal inside of your appeal period or your lose your right to appeal at that level. To find out when your appeal period is you will need to know what Township your property is located in (not city or village, but Township). To find out what Township your property is in, see the next question on this Q&A. Once you know your Township, you can go to the Cook County Assessor website to find your Township's deadlines to appeal. Click HERE to see the list of timelines to appeal.
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Q: What is a Township and how do I find out what Township my property is in?
A: Cook County is broken down into different Townships. A Township is different from the city, village, or neighborhood that you your property is in. Tax appeal timelines are determined by Township. To find out what Township your property is located in, you can check your tax bill or go to the Cook County Assessor's website HERE. Once there, type in your address or PIN, and you will be taken to an information page for your property that will include your Township.
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A: Cook County is broken down into different Townships. A Township is different from the city, village, or neighborhood that you your property is in. Tax appeal timelines are determined by Township. To find out what Township your property is located in, you can check your tax bill or go to the Cook County Assessor's website HERE. Once there, type in your address or PIN, and you will be taken to an information page for your property that will include your Township.
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Q: If I appeal will this most recent tax bill be reduced?
A: Unfortunately, the most recent tax bill will probably remain unchanged. This is because prope taxes are paid in arrears by one year. So this most recent tax bill is based on the County’s property valuations from last year. You would have had to appeal last year in order to affect the most recent bill. However, if you don’t appeal now your tax bill will remain the same or even go up more next year. Don’t delay. Call us today.
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A: Unfortunately, the most recent tax bill will probably remain unchanged. This is because prope taxes are paid in arrears by one year. So this most recent tax bill is based on the County’s property valuations from last year. You would have had to appeal last year in order to affect the most recent bill. However, if you don’t appeal now your tax bill will remain the same or even go up more next year. Don’t delay. Call us today.
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Q: What happens if I don’t pay my property taxes?
A. If you don’t pay your tax bill, your taxes will eventually be sold off to a tax buyer. The tax buyer will pay your tax bill and you will begin to incur heavy penalties, fees, and interest. If you don’t pay the tax buyer what they paid plus the penalties, fees, and interest, a judge will eventually issue them a tax deed transferring the property to them. You would lose the rights to the property at that point, regardless of how much the property is worth. Even if you do pay off the tax buyer in time, the penalties, fees, and interest are significant, often doubling or tripling the original amount you owed in taxes.
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A. If you don’t pay your tax bill, your taxes will eventually be sold off to a tax buyer. The tax buyer will pay your tax bill and you will begin to incur heavy penalties, fees, and interest. If you don’t pay the tax buyer what they paid plus the penalties, fees, and interest, a judge will eventually issue them a tax deed transferring the property to them. You would lose the rights to the property at that point, regardless of how much the property is worth. Even if you do pay off the tax buyer in time, the penalties, fees, and interest are significant, often doubling or tripling the original amount you owed in taxes.
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Q: If I don't pay my property tax bill, can I still sell my property?
A: Yes, but you would have to pay the unpaid taxes at the closing of the sale of the property. You are allowed to use the money that a buyer would pay you to pay the taxes, meaning that the amount of the taxes would just be reduced from your sale proceeds. You do not have to front the money in advance. However, you want to make sure you talk to a lawyer right away so that you can try and minimize the penalties, costs, and fees that you would have to pay. Further, getting the paperwork ready to be able to pay taxes at the closing can be arduous and time consuming, so you want to talk to a lawyer sooner rather than later. The lawyers at Robson & Lopez LLC will guide you through the process every step of the way and help you figure out what is best for you. Call us before you make any decisions. Call us today.
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A: Yes, but you would have to pay the unpaid taxes at the closing of the sale of the property. You are allowed to use the money that a buyer would pay you to pay the taxes, meaning that the amount of the taxes would just be reduced from your sale proceeds. You do not have to front the money in advance. However, you want to make sure you talk to a lawyer right away so that you can try and minimize the penalties, costs, and fees that you would have to pay. Further, getting the paperwork ready to be able to pay taxes at the closing can be arduous and time consuming, so you want to talk to a lawyer sooner rather than later. The lawyers at Robson & Lopez LLC will guide you through the process every step of the way and help you figure out what is best for you. Call us before you make any decisions. Call us today.
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Q: Can I appeal my property taxes if I have a condo?
A: Yes. However, you generally can’t appeal independently of the other units. Your association has to appeal on behalf of all units at once. This is because the County Assessor determines the value of the building as a whole, then determines the value of your unit based on your percentage of ownership in the building. There are some circumstances where you can appeal independently. For example, if your unit was damaged in a fire or flood and has not been repaired yet, or it took some time to repair. Obviously, in a damaged condition it is worth less, and that argument is different than the other units in your building. In this case you would want to appeal independently. Have your property manager or a board member from your association call us. Even for HOAs, our consultations are free.
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A: Yes. However, you generally can’t appeal independently of the other units. Your association has to appeal on behalf of all units at once. This is because the County Assessor determines the value of the building as a whole, then determines the value of your unit based on your percentage of ownership in the building. There are some circumstances where you can appeal independently. For example, if your unit was damaged in a fire or flood and has not been repaired yet, or it took some time to repair. Obviously, in a damaged condition it is worth less, and that argument is different than the other units in your building. In this case you would want to appeal independently. Have your property manager or a board member from your association call us. Even for HOAs, our consultations are free.
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Q: Will my property value go down if I appeal my taxes?
A: NO! This is a common myth. The assessed value that the Cook County Assessor assigns to your property has zero bearing on your actual property value. Your property’s market value is determined by market conditions (how much properties around you are selling for) and your property’s current condition. The assessor takes these things into consideration when determining your assessed value as well. But, the opposite is not true. A licensed appraiser does not take the assessed value into consideration when determining your property value. In fact, the argument can be made that not appealing the assessed value could reduce your property value. No one wants to buy a property that overpays property taxes, after all. So it would be harder to sell your property, meaning that you could be forced to sell for less! Don’t let that happen to you. Call us for a free consultation today!
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A: NO! This is a common myth. The assessed value that the Cook County Assessor assigns to your property has zero bearing on your actual property value. Your property’s market value is determined by market conditions (how much properties around you are selling for) and your property’s current condition. The assessor takes these things into consideration when determining your assessed value as well. But, the opposite is not true. A licensed appraiser does not take the assessed value into consideration when determining your property value. In fact, the argument can be made that not appealing the assessed value could reduce your property value. No one wants to buy a property that overpays property taxes, after all. So it would be harder to sell your property, meaning that you could be forced to sell for less! Don’t let that happen to you. Call us for a free consultation today!
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Q: Besides appealing, what else can I do to reduce my property taxes?
A: This is a very good question. The number one thing that typically controls your assessed value (remember, your assessed value controls your tax bill), is the assessed value of similar properties around you. This means that if your neighbors assessed values are going up, they are dragging you up with them! So, another important thing you can do to reduce your property taxes is to get all of your neighbors to appeal. The strongest evidence that the County has to increase your taxes, is to point to all of your neighbors and say that it would be unfair for you to pay less than them. On the flip side, if you get all of your neighbors to appeal and they reduce their assessed values, you point to them as evidence that your taxes should go down too! Have your neighbors call us today. Our consultations are free for them too!
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A: This is a very good question. The number one thing that typically controls your assessed value (remember, your assessed value controls your tax bill), is the assessed value of similar properties around you. This means that if your neighbors assessed values are going up, they are dragging you up with them! So, another important thing you can do to reduce your property taxes is to get all of your neighbors to appeal. The strongest evidence that the County has to increase your taxes, is to point to all of your neighbors and say that it would be unfair for you to pay less than them. On the flip side, if you get all of your neighbors to appeal and they reduce their assessed values, you point to them as evidence that your taxes should go down too! Have your neighbors call us today. Our consultations are free for them too!
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1. Will I lose my property if I don’t pay my property taxes?
2. Do I need to hire a lawyer to appeal my property taxes?
3. How much does it cost to appeal my property taxes?
4. Will my property value go down if I appeal my property taxes?
5. How are my property taxes calculated and why did my bill skyrocket?
6. Can I appeal the property taxes on my investment property, or only on my primary
residence?
7. Can I appeal my property taxes if I have a condo?
8. What else can I do to reduce my property taxes besides appealing?
9. Can I sell my property if I don’t pay the property tax bill?
10. Why does the seller of a property have to give the buyer a credit for property taxes?
11. Facebook Live Property Tax Q&A.
12. Facebook en vivo, preguntas Y respuestas sobre los impuestos de propiedad.
2. Do I need to hire a lawyer to appeal my property taxes?
3. How much does it cost to appeal my property taxes?
4. Will my property value go down if I appeal my property taxes?
5. How are my property taxes calculated and why did my bill skyrocket?
6. Can I appeal the property taxes on my investment property, or only on my primary
residence?
7. Can I appeal my property taxes if I have a condo?
8. What else can I do to reduce my property taxes besides appealing?
9. Can I sell my property if I don’t pay the property tax bill?
10. Why does the seller of a property have to give the buyer a credit for property taxes?
11. Facebook Live Property Tax Q&A.
12. Facebook en vivo, preguntas Y respuestas sobre los impuestos de propiedad.
Will I lose my property if I don’t pay my property taxes?
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Do I need to hire a lawyer to appeal my property taxes?
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How much does it cost to appeal my property taxes?
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Will my property value go down if I appeal my property taxes?
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How are my property taxes calculated and why did they skyrocket?
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Can I appeal the property taxes on my investment property, or only on my primary
residence?
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residence?
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Can I appeal my property taxes if I have a condo?
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What else can I do to reduce my property taxes besides appealing?
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Can I sell my property if I don’t pay the property tax bill?
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Why does the seller of a property have to give the buyer a credit for property taxes?
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Facebook Live Property Tax Q&A
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Facebook en vivo, preguntas Y respuestas sobre los impuestos de propiedad
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