The Cook County tax rate is determined each year using two considerations: How much money the county needs and the total assessed value of all the properties in the county. This year, Cook County determined it needed $16.1 billion. This […]

When planning a home renovation project, it’s easy to overlook what could be your largest source of ongoing expense—the property taxes. Make sure to include a realistic estimate when planning a remodeling budget. How Adding Square Footage Impacts Property Taxes […]

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recently issued a report indicating that many commercial and residential property owners in the area will shoulder a greater property tax burden this year despite pandemic relief funding. There are various reasons for the significant […]

A number of factors have caused Cook County property tax bills to be delayed, resulting in a due date extension for taxpayers. Controversy over the Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Exemption and whether County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office gave some seniors […]

Cook County senior citizens over the age of 65 and with a household income of less than $65,000 a year are eligible for a property tax break called the Senior Freeze Exemption that freezes the equalized assessed value of the […]

Illinois has the second-highest property tax in the nation, according to many national tax studies, and a lot of that money goes toward funding education and government pensions, per the Illinois Constitution. Now Cook County residents can see how much […]

Chicago is providing a variety of incentives to businesses for relocating or expanding in Chicago, dependent on the size and location of the project and the number of jobs it creates. What Incentives Are Available The Tax Increment Financing, or […]

Many property owners in Cook County may have unclaimed property tax refunds or exemptions. In May, Cook County returned approximately $2.7 million in unclaimed property tax refunds and exemptions and millions more are waiting to be claimed. How to Claim […]

Property owners who rehab a historic home might run into issues in the rehab process—electrical rewiring or having to deal with foundation and structural repairs—but they could be saving money on their property taxes through the Property Tax Assessment Freeze […]

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 […]