If you’re a New York property owner, are you aware of where all that money goes when you pay your tax bill? Understanding the breakdown of your tax bill helps you connect the money to the services provided. Once you know where your tax dollars go, you can hold your elected officials accountable, you have a better grasp on ballot propositions, and you can make educated decisions when voting for changes in funding. Finally, good comprehension of your tax bill can allow you to determine if you are getting value for the services. It may also serve as a deciding factor when you are looking at potential home buying options. An exact breakdown of the tax money varies by county, city, town, or school district. However, property tax money typically goes towards the following: How Is Your Tax Bill Calculated The property tax bill is the sum of several line... Read More

Earlier this year, O’Connor discussed the Elk Grove Township reassessment increases and how the 2025 reassessment is affecting property values in the township. At the time, we were not sure when the deadlines for property tax appeals would occur, as the Cook County Assessor’s Office (CCAO) has a wide range of dates, with each township having a different cut-off date for appeals. With the summer almost over, it has finally been confirmed that the final deadline for protests in Elk Grove township is September 16, 2025. This deadline is for appeals to the Board of Review (BOR) only, as informal appeals with the CCAO already had a deadline pass earlier in the summer. If you missed that initial date, there is nothing to worry about, as you can still file an appeal with the BOR. BOR appeals are generally favored in Cook County, as they usually provide the most tax... Read More

While Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago all have reputations for high property taxes, nothing really prepared the people of the southern and western portions of the county for 2023. The triennial reassessment by the Cook County Assessor’s Office (CCAO) was seen as a wholesale disaster for businesses and property owners. Not only were record assessments handed out, but many blatant errors by the CCAO were exposed. This caused outrage to overflow throughout all of Cook County, as thousands of property owners were handed overinflated, inaccurate, or plain objectively incorrect assessments. Many property owners saw their taxable value increase by several factors, while some had their taxes double overnight. Lyons Township became one of the main focal points of the controversy. It was Lyons that saw random spikes of 650% in taxable value for some homes, which became one of the major sources of fear across Chicago. It was Lyons Township... Read More

The property tax situation in Illinois and especially the Chicago area has been worsening every year. Always infamous for some of the highest taxes in the nation, things finally came to a head in 2023 with the reassessment of the southern and western parts of Cook County. The third of the triennial reassessment would be remembered as a turning point and serve as a critical wakeup call for taxpayers across the state. When the reassessment rolled through the area, it left record property value increases in its wake. While spikes of 30% or more are now expected, many saw increases well above that, with many outliers being even 500% or more above what they had been in 2022. Even the average increases tended to be between 30% and 50%. This stirred outrage and fervor in the population that had never been seen before, one that never really went away. Investigations... Read More

The triennial reassessment is winding down, but the effects are being felt across Cook County and the city of Chicago. The north of the county was targeted in 2025 and taxpayers have seen some severe spikes in their property values, which inevitably led to more taxes. While there have not been the 700% increases seen in the 2023 reassessment, property owners across the county are still hurting and are looking for ways to fight back against the aggression or incompetence of the Cook County Assessor’s Office (CCAO). New Trier is one of the townships being targeted in 2025. Part of the exclusive North Shore, New Trier is one of the wealthiest townships in Cook County, as well as one of the most exclusive areas in the United States. With so much money in the township, any hike could result in millions of dollars being lost. To help protect against rampaging... Read More