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Law Firm Dedicated to Ensuring that You Do Not Pay More than Your Fair Share in Property Taxes

Filing an appeal is your legal right. Appealing with uniquely qualified attorneys is your advantage.

The Appeals Process in Cook County, IL

The property tax appeal process can be a very difficult and perplexing system of Constitutional rights, State laws, and County ordinances. There are several distinct administrative agencies and the courts, with each having its own rules, forms, policies, practices, and procedures that must be strictly followed for a successful appeal. Moreover, each property tax agency considers issues and arguments differently, and even contradictory—while one agency may completely reject an argument, another agency may agree unequivocally.

We are here to help you exercise your right as a property owner to obtain a correct and equitable assessment. The first step to understanding the property tax appeal process is understanding your property’s assessment and its impact on your property tax bill.


Property Tax Assessment

An assessment is a specific value placed on your property by the County which directly affects how much you pay in property taxes. Your assessment is based upon a percentage of your property’s market value. While property outside of Cook County is assessed at 33.33% of its market value, Cook County employs a classification system in which property is assessed at different percentages:

Assessment for a $300,000 Property

$99,990

Non-Cook County @ 33%

$30,000

Cook County Residential @ 10%

$75,000

Cook County Commercial/Industrial @ 25%

The Assessment directly impacts the property tax bill. An increase in the assessment can increase the property taxes.

  Prior Assessment New Assessment
Market Value $300,000 $400,000
X Level of Assessment X 10% X 10%
= Assessment $30,000 $40,000
X Sample Equalization Rate X 2.9 X 2.9
= Equalized Assessment $87,000 $116,000
X Sample Tax Rate 9% 9%
= Taxes (prior to exemption) $7,830 $10,440

As you can see, a $10,000 increase in your property’s assessment resulted in a $2,610 increase in your property taxes. Conversely, a decrease in your property’s assessment can decrease your property taxes. And this is why property tax appeals to reduce your assessment are so important to controlling your property tax bill.


Tax Appeals

Taxpayers in Cook County have access to a three-tiered administrative property tax appeal process. Each tier has its own rules, policies, practices, procedures, forms, and deadlines which must be strictly followed for a successful appeal. Taxpayers outside of Cook County have only a two tired appeal process (County Board of Review and State Property Tax Appeal Board or Circuit Court).

You have a legal right to appeal your assessment. Each year thousands of people successfully appeal their assessments and receive reductions in their property taxes. For example, appeals on over 400,000 parcels were filed with the Cook County Board of Review in 2016.

Only a taxpayer or his or her attorney can file an appeal with the County Board of Review, the State Property Tax Appeal Board, and the Circuit Court—tax consultants cannot file appeals.

Uniquely experienced legal counsel can fight for the lowest possible assessment on your behalf. Contact us now to request a free property tax analysis.

Cook County Property Tax Triennial Reassesment Cycle

Property in Cook County is reassessed once every three years by the Cook County Assessor. The Assessor reassesses on a rotating basis through three assessment districts so that only one district is being reassessed in any given year. The three districts are the City, North and South. Each district is further broken down in to 37 Townships, with 8 to 16 townships in each district. The Assessor and the Board of Review will open 30 day windows each year to file appeals for each of the Townships. It is critical to make sure an appeal is filed within the 30 day window for the appropriate Township. A property owner will only receive notice of the 30 day window from the Assessor once every three years when the property is reassessed.

The following table provides a guide to determining the Township, Reassessment District, and Triennial Assessment Years, but the Cook County Property Tax Portal should be checked to accurately determine the Township because the township boundary lines are not always along municipal boundaries lines (http://www.cookcountypropertyinfo.com/default.aspx). For example, parts of Glenview can be found in five different Townships.

Township Municipality (ies) Reassessment
District
Triennial
Reassessment Years
Barrington Barrington, Barrington Hills, East Dundee, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, South Barrington North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Berwyn Berwyn South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Bloom Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, Ford Heights, Glenwood, Homewood, Lansing, Lynwood, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Sauk Village, South Chicago Heights, Steger South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Bremen Blue Island, Country Club Hills, Crestwood, Hazel Crest, Harvey, Homewood, Markham, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Orland Park, Posen, Robbins, Tinley Park South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Calumet Blue Island, Calumet Park, Riverdale South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Cicero Cicero South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Elk Grove Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Mount Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, Wood Dale North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Evanston Evanston North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Hanover Bartlet, Elgin, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Streamwood North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Hyde Park Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Jefferson Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Lake Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Lake View Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Lemont Lemont, Palos Park, Willow Springs, Woodridge South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Leyden Bensenville, Elmwood Park, Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Norridge, Northlake, Park Ridge, River Grove, Rosemont, Schiller Park North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Lyons Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Brookfield, Burr Ridge, Countryside, Hickory Hills, Hinsdale, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, Justice, La Grange, Lyons, McCook, Riverside, Summit, Western Springs, Willow Springs South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Maine Des Plaines, Glenview, Park Ridge, Morton Grove, Niles, Rosemont North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
New Trier Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, Northfield, Wilmette, Winnetka North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Niles Glenview, Golf, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Skokie North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
North Chicago Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Northfield Des Plaines, Glencoe, Glenview, Northbrook, Northfield, Prospect Heights, Wilmette North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Norwood Park Harwood Heights, Norridge, Park Ridge North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Oak Park Oak Park South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Orland Orland Hills, Orland Park, Tinley Park South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Palatine Arlington Heights, Barrington, Deer Park, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, South Barrington North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Palos Bridgeview, Hickory Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Willow Springs, Worth South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Proviso Bellwood, Berkeley, Broadview, Brookfield, Elmhurst, Forest Park, Hillside, La Grange Park, Maywood, Melrose Park, North Riverside, Northlake, Oak Brook, Stone Park, Westchester, Western Springs South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Rich Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Richton Park, Tinley Park, University Park South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
River Forest River Forest South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Riverside Brookfield, Lyons, North Riverside, Riverside South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Rogers Park Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Schaumburg Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Schaumburg, Streamwood North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
South Chicago Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Stickney Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Burbank, Forest View, Nottingham Park, Stickney South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
Thornton Blue Island, Burnham, Calumet City, Dixmoor, Dolton, East Hazel Crest, Glenwood, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Lansing, Markham, Phoenix, Posen, Riverdale, South Holland, Thornton South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
West Chicago Chicago City 2018, 2021, 2024, 2027
Wheeling Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Des Plaines, Glenview, Mount Prospect, Northbrook, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, Wheeling North 2019, 2022, 2025, 2028
Worth Alsip, Blue Island, Bridgeview, Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Evergreen Park, Hometown, Merrionette Park, Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Robbins, Worth South 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026

Meet The Team

Stephanie Park - Chicago, IL - Park & Longstreet, P.C.

Stephanie Park

Stephanie S. Park is a former Hearing Officer with the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board and a certified public accountant.

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Scott Longstreet - Chicago, IL - Park & Longstreet, P.C.

Scott Longstreet

Scott E. Longstreet was one of the first Hearing Officers at the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board in Cook County.

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Daria M. Palermo - Chicago, IL - Park & Longstreet, P.C.

Daria M. Palermo

Daria M. Palermo is an Associate Attorney with Park and Longstreet, P.C. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Palermo held Senior Leadership…

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SUCCESS STORIES

  • Park & Longstreet, P.C., law firm group is very easy to work with, they are dedicated to helping. There are no upfront fees or charges. I did not pay attorney fees for services unless they obtain a reduction in my property's assessment.

  • The Park & Longstreet firm has, for years now, effectively helped me in regard to appeals of my property taxes, and has not only saved me thousands of dollars, compared to tax years without their intervention, but even recently shocked and surprised me with a $1016.73 refund from the IL Property Tax Appeal Board for a prior year, based upon their skilled protestations on my behalf! Thank you very much, Park & Longstreet! Your competence is showing, and I can certainly use the money . . .

  • We have been happy with your work on our behalf in the past and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.

  • We have been very happy with your services for both our primary house and our secondary house. You have reduced our primary house taxes three times and our secondary house taxes twice. And to top it all, you have appealed some other taxes for our secondary house (which I was not even aware of) and you got me a net refund of about $1,000.

  • I have been recommending you to all of my friends. You have done a great job for us. Thank you.

  • We were extremely pleased with Park & Longstreet's persistence in pursuing our real estate tax appeal for five years to reach a satisfactory conclusion. We had given up—they didn't. And their assistance in helping us understand the process along the way was invaluable.

  • It is always exciting to change things for the better such as your new website. You and your crew have always done an outstanding job in tax reduction. Keep up the good work!

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  • Thank you for your hard work to get my taxes lowered. I’m glad I switched to your co. from TURC. I was with TURC for 20 years. You saved us over $10,000. Thank you!

  • Thanks for your kind effort. It is very much appreciated. I will recommend you to my friends, keep in touch in the future.

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  • Hi! Just wanted to say thanks for the service you’ve provided us. We have appreciated your phone calls with clear explanations with a professionalism we do not take for granted.

  • Thank you! You exceeded our expectations! Thanks for your great work on my property tax appeal. I will be referring you to others. Keep up the great work.

    Contact Us

    Do you feel like you’re paying too much in property taxes? Call Park & Longstreet P.C. today for a free property tax analysis.

    Location

    1620 Colonial Parkway
    Inverness, IL 60067

    134 N. LaSalle
    Suite 1050
    Chicago, IL 60602

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