What is House Bill 581 and House Bill 92? This past year, there have been major property tax developments for the state of Georgia that affect homeowners, especially for homesteaded property. In January 2025, House Bill 581 (HB 581), also known as “Save Our Homes Act,” went into effect. HB 581 created a floating homestead exemption with the goal of limiting or capping the annual increase in taxable assessed value of homestead properties to match inflation. This bill prevents or caps significant hikes in property tax due to increased property values. Local governments had the option to opt out of the homestead exemption by March 1, 2025. Most local governments have opted out of the cap. However, House Bill 92 (HB 92) was enacted on April 1, 2025, to give government entities who opted out the chance to rescind their decision by April 30 of the same year. This was... Read More

Located just south of Cook County, Will County pairs metropolitan amenities with some of the most beautiful landscapes in the nation. While known as a suburban area of Chicago, Will County boasts many cities of its own and is an economic powerhouse. From Joliet to Naperville, the county has plenty of blue-collar areas and some of the most expensive houses in Illinois, making for a diverse patchwork of towns, neighborhoods, and communities. New Lenox Township is at the heart of it all. Built around the village of New Lennox, the township acts as a suburban hub for Joliet, Mokena, and even Chicago. While not the biggest of townships, New Lenox is considered one of the wealthiest areas in Will County. Being in a prime location and with a high standard of living, New Lenox Township keeps growing every year. Already cursed with some of the highest property values in Illinois,... Read More

In Illinois, appeal deadlines are approaching fast. Specifically in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, where O’Connor advises on and analyzes residential property tax protests, many appeal deadlines have already been announced for September. For Cook County, there are two deadlines, the Assessor deadline and the Board of Review (BOR) deadline. Outside of Cook County, there is only the BOR deadline, meaning it is the only opportunity to appeal for the current year. Illinois is consistently ranked among states with the highest property taxes in the nation; no doubt thousands of homeowners are paying more than their fair share. It is important to take advantage of appealing for a chance at a reduction before the deadline for your township has passed. For properties in Cook County, you may appeal first at the Assessor level, but if you are not successful at appeals, then it is important to take... Read More

Property owners in New York are not new to notably high property taxes, but few are aware of the tax relief programs that are available to help ease some of the tax burden. Tax relief programs such as STAR can greatly benefit New York property owners by helping them save up to thousands of dollars a year if eligible. What is the STAR Program? The STAR, or School Tax Relief Program, offers property tax relief to eligible homeowners in New York by reducing school district property taxes on their home or by offering refund credits. In this way, it compensates for the relief through state funds. Through this program, homeowners can achieve tax relief either through direct credits issued as checks or exemptions. Due to the large potential savings, it’s worth checking eligibility and registering as soon as possible. Basic vs Enhanced There are two types of benefits: Basic Star... Read More

The Chicago metropolitan area is one of the largest in the United States and continues to grow at a breakneck pace. The collar counties which surround Cook County and Chicago are seeing a huge influx of people as the areas become more suburban each year. The collar counties are seen as having better schools, lower crime, and more space to live in. However, as more people arrive to pursue the dream of homeownership, property values across the collar counties have begun to rise every year, along with the record taxes that one can expect in Illinois. Plainfield Township is one of the fastest-growing townships in Illinois. While it is a relatively long commute from Chicago, many residents find it to be worth the effort. Joliet, also in Will County, is much closer and also a great place to work. With the transformation from rural villages to bustling suburbs taking only... Read More