2021 | Gary H. Smith

High Property Taxes in Illinois Make life Difficult for Investors

Property is an investment. And when high property taxes make the total cost of property ownership fall compared to value, it starts to be less of a good investment and more of a nuisance. The Cost of Living in Illinois […]

Illinois: Still 2nd Highest Property Taxes in the Nation

There are many things that Illinois is known for, but one for which residents wish it wasn’t, was its high property taxes. And it has once again topped the list—ranking second behind New Jersey—on the list of highest property tax […]

Cook County Tax Burden Shifts to Businesses

Cook County’s triennial assessment system means that the south suburbs are being reassessed this year, raising concerns that although residential property tax bills could drop, the commercial real estate property taxes might be inversely impacted. This could stymie the decades-long […]

Real Estate Tax Prorations in Cook County

In Illinois, real estate taxes are paid for the year that just passed. The 2021 property tax bill is covering money owed for 2020. When a property is sold, the seller must pay the potential taxes owed the following year […]

Remodeling Can Raise Your Property Tax in Cook County

Remodeling a house might cost more than just the final price bill paid to the remodeling company. It could also cause an increase in the property tax bill. Cost Vs. Value Any time a house is updated through a remodeling […]

Here’s What Happens if You Don’t Pay Your Property Taxes

When the property tax bill comes in the mail, taxpayers often ask, ‘What if I don’t pay this?’ And they pay—because there will be consequences. But what, exactly, are those consequences? What Is a Property Lien? When property taxes go […]

2021 Property Tax Predictions

City services are funded in a variety of ways, but two of the largest sources of income are property taxes and tax revenue from the businesses operating there. COVID-19 decreased the revenue provided from businesses impacting by the pandemic, so […]

The Illusion of Property Tax Relief: Here’s What to Look for in 2021

Although Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi sent COVID-19 adjustment letters to many Cook County property owners in late 2020, those might not have the impact property owners expect on their overall tax bill. COVID-19 Adjustments Might Not Equal Lower Tax […]

Recent Study Reveals Cook County Properties with the Largest Tax Increases

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recently released a study that looked at 20 years of property tax history in Cook County and found that there has been a drastic increase over the last two decades. What the Study Shows Overall, […]

Fundamental Misunderstandings of the Compound Nature of the Cook County Property Tax System May Cause Fundamental Property Tax Reform Miscalculations

Originally published in Tax Trends (September 2020, Vol. 64 No. 3) Summary Conclusion The impact upon the individual residential property owner’s tax bill of a non-Chicago property after a 100 percent increase to the taxes of all downtown Chicago commercial […]