1. James M. Houlihan Cook County Assessor

2. Cook County Property Taxes Understanding the Assessment Process

3. Role of the Assessor Produce fair and accurate property assessments Increase understanding and encourage public participation in the process Develop tax policies that provide for economic development, job creation and improved housing opportunities

4. Property Tax System Cook County Assessor Cook County Board of Review Property Tax Appeal Board Circuit Court Illinois Department of Revenue Cook County Clerk Cook County Treasurer

5. Cook County Property Taxes How to Calculate your Property Tax Bill

6. Property Tax Bills Assessed Value State Equalizer Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) Exemptions Tax Rate/Local Spending

7. Property Tax Bills Typical Tax Bill in the City of Chicago Percent of Bill to Each Taxing Agency

8. Property Tax Bill

9. Calculating Tax Bills $320,000 Property Value x 10% Residential Assessment Level $32,000 Assessed Value x 2.9786 Equalization Factor $95,315 Equalized Assessed Value - $6,000 Homeowner Exemption (Minimum) $89,315 Adjusted Equalized Assessed Value x 5.194% Tax Rate (Sample) $4,639 Annual Tax Amount

10. Cook County Property Taxes Tax Relief through Exemptions

11. Exemptions Homeowner Exemption Senior Citizen Exemption Senior Freeze Exemption Home Improvement Exemption

12. Homeowner Exemption Applies to principal place of residence as of January 1 st of the tax year Subtracts from $6,000 to $26,000 in EAV Can result in hundreds of dollars of tax savings Automatically renewed

13. 7% Expanded Homeowner Exemption Exemption limit $20,000 for Chicago $20,000 for the North $26,000 for the South

14. Examples (City) From the Tax Bill Calculation Homeowner Exemption Amount$6,000 Tax Rate5.194% Tax Savings$6,000 x 5.194% = $311 Homeowner Exemption Amount$20,000 Tax Rate5.194% Tax Savings$20,000 x 5.194% = $1,038 With the 2009 Maximum Exemption

15. Examples (North Suburban) From the Tax Bill Calculation Homeowner Exemption Amount$6,000 Sample Tax Rate10% Tax Savings$6,000 x 10% = $600 With the 2009 Maximum Exemption Homeowner Exemption Amount$20,000 Sample Tax Rate10% Tax Savings $20,000 x 10% = $2, 000

16. Examples (South Suburban) From the Tax Bill Calculation Homeowner Exemption Amount$6,000 Tax Rate (Sample)10% Tax Savings$6,000 x 10% = $600 With the 2009 Maximum Exemption Homeowner Exemption Amount$26,000 Tax Rate (Sample)10% Tax Savings $26,000 x 10% = $2,600

17. Senior Citizen Exemption Additional property tax savings for seniors Must be 65 years or older (1944) Applies to principal residence Removes an additional $4,000 in EAV Automatically renewed

18. Senior Freeze Exemption Freezes EAV for qualifying seniors Must be 65 years or older, applies to principal residence $55,000 or less in total household income

19. Home Improvement Exemption Exempts up to $75,000 in improvements 4 years Automatic, on field check of permits

20. Examples Same house, same neighborhood, different tax bill? Homeowner with 6,000 exemption $4,639 Homeowner with 20,000 exemption $3,912 Senior Homeowner with 20,000 exemption & additional 4,000 Senior $3,704 Senior with Freeze (35,000 in EAV) $1,294 $320,000 Home

21. New Exemptions Long-Time Occupant Homeowner Exemption Returning Veterans’ Homeowner Exemption Disabled Persons’ Homeowner Exemption Disabled Veterans’ Standard Homeowner Exemption

22. Long-Time Occupant Homeowner Exemption 2007 –Started in tax year 2007 – Assists lower income homeowners that have been in their homes for at least ten years – Household income of $75,000 or less Property’s adjusted base value can only increase by 7% for each taxable year (no exemption limit) – Homeowners with a household income b/w $75,001 and $100,000 The property’s adjusted base value can only increase by 10% for each taxable year (no exemption limit)

23. Returning Veterans One-time $5,000 reduction in EAV Qualified veterans who return from active duty in armed conflict Must file application upon their return home

24. Disabled Persons $2,000 reduction in EAV Must qualify as a disabled person (Class 2) Must file an annual application

25. Disabled Veterans Certified service-connected disability $2,500 reduction in EAV for disability of at least 50% but less than 75% $5,000 reduction in EAV for disability of at least 75% Must file bi-annual application

26. New Exemptions * IMPORTANT NOTE * Property can receive only one of the Exemptions for Disabled Individuals

27. Cook County Property Taxes The Valuation and Appeals Process

28. Triennial Reassessment

29. Assessment Ratios Residential 10% Industrial 25% Commercial 25%

30. Valuing Residential Properties Mass Appraisal Method 1.8 Million Parcels 3 to 7 years of sales Multiple Regression –Location –Square Feet –Type of Construction –Age

31. Appealing Assessments Reassessment Year –North 2010 (Now) –South 2011 –City 2012 Notice of Proposed Assessed Valuation 30 Days to File an Appeal with our office

32. Appealing Assessments Residential appeals are straightforward –Error in characteristics –Similar homes in neighborhood assessed lower A lawyer is not required

33. Appealing Assessments Condominiums We produce a value for the whole building – then apply percentage of ownership Joint appeal

34. Information Taxpayer Services Department 312-443-7550 Office in County Building 118 N Clark Street Website www.cookcountyassessor.com

35. James M. Houlihan Cook County Assessor