Homeowners all across Indiana and Illinois are receiving their assessment notices. You may have heard in the local newspaper that some are going up, but some may come down. It's not something we give much thought to, until that bill arrives. And if yours is one of those that went up? We urgently want to know why and if there was some sort of mistake. Problem is, if we wait until the bill arrives - it may be too late.
Oh sure, there are stories here and there in local newspapers about scandelous behavior. Once in a while an assessor will get into hot water for not cooperating with a county contracted firm hired to ensure accuracy. Or something bigger, like what's going on in Chicago right now. Accusations of corruption and kick-backs given to the assessor by tax attorneys who get large refunds for their billionare clients. These stories send the public into a tailspin.
But most of the time, we go on with our busy lives. Real estate taxes just not at the forefront of our minds. We assume we are paying the right amount but most of us never check. A recent Chicago Tribune article cited a study by the National Taxpayers Union showing up to 60% of U.S. homes are over-assessed. Yet fewer than 5% appeal. Even I was surpised by that number. I have worked my entire adult life helping folks pay accurate property taxes. I know most assessors do their best to be accurate. But the truth is, mass appraisal is hard. It's expensive, it's time consuming, and it's inexact. However we, as taxpayers, expect and deserve to pay the exact right amount.
The inconvenient truth is, verifying your property taxes is necessary. The good news is that doing so could save you hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. The time to do it is now. Once notices are sent, the clock starts ticking for the time to appeal. In Indiana you have 45 days from the time notices are sent. In Illnois you have 30 days. Below is a list of nearby counties and their deadline dates. For any county not listed here, call your local assessor.
LaPorte Co., IN - Sept. 8th
St. Joseph Co, IN- Sept. 7th
Elkhart Co., IN- August 10th
Cook County, IL - all townships are different. Deadlines run from July 20th thru August 31st. Click the link below to check your township.
http://www.cookcountyassessor.com/Appeals/Appeal-Deadlines.aspx
Beth Szweda
Co-Founder Correct Property Tax LLC
For help with your property tax appeal - http://www.correctpropertytax.com/
