Wheeling Township Assessor’s Office
Office of the Taxpayer Advocate
Jerry Sadler
, Assessor, C.I.A.O.
847-259-1515
Staff: Jane Bernard Chief Deputy Assessor, C.I.A.O., Mary Sebastian Deputy Assessor, C.I.A.O.,Cathy Sloan, Jane Cazel C.I.A.O., Gail Washco and Julia Lipka
APPLICATIONS FOR SENIOR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS MAILED; ALL SENIORS MUST APPLY TO RENEW THEIR EXEMPTIONS
The Cook County Assessor’s Office mailed senior citizen renewal applications for senior citizen property tax exemptions in early January. Seniors should return the forms to the Cook County Assessor’s office by February 6 or as soon thereafter as possible. Local senior citizens with questions or requiring help in completing the forms should feel free to call or visit the Wheeling Township Assessor’s office.
Under current law, Senior Exemptions must be renewed every year. In the past, it was not necessary to file annual renewals after a senior qualified for the exemption for the first time. Two years ago, however, the law changed such that Senior Exemptions now must be renewed every year. Accordingly, we urge all seniors to complete and return the recently-mailed renewal forms.
Eligibility for Senior Citizen Exemptions
There are two senior citizen property tax exemptions:
1) The Senior Exemption, available to all seniors regardless of income, reduces the Equalized Assessed Value on your 2nd Installment bill by 4,000. That equates into approximately $250 - $300 off the property tax bill. It is available to any owner-occupied residential property whose owner was born in 1947 or earlier.
2) The Senior Freeze provides some seniors with additional savings if the combined income of all occupants in a senior’s household is less than $55,000, and if the senior has been an owner-occupant of the house since January 1, 2011.
The senior applications that have been mailed are for 2012 property taxes, (paid in calendar year 2013) and the savings from the exemptions will appear on the second installment tax bills that will likely be mailed in July of 2013.
Information for Seniors not Receiving Mailings
Homeowners who were born in 1947 turned sixty-five in 2012, and thus are likely to be eligible for one of the senior exemptions for the first time. Taxpayers who recently turned sixty-five will not receive application forms when the senior renewal forms are mailed. The forms are available online at www.cookcountyassessor.com (see link below). The forms are also available from our office. Please feel free to contact us. We ask that you have your property index number available when you call with any property tax questions.
Homeowners who were born in 1948 and will turn 65 in 2013 will not be eligible for the senior exemptions until 2014 when we pay on property taxes for 2013.
Disabled Persons, Disabled Veterans, and Long-Time Occupant renewal exemption form mailings will follow sometime after the senior renewal mailing.
The Cook County Assessor still maintains a branch office at both the Rolling Meadows and Skokie Circuit Courthouse buildings with staff to assist you as well.
We offer the following services to residents of Wheeling Township:
- Assistance with the Filing of Assessment Appeals through the Cook County Assessor's Office and Cook County Board of Review
- Application for and verification of Homeowner’s, Long-Time Occupancy, Senior, Senior Freeze, Returning Veterans’, and Disabled Persons’ Homestead Exemptions
- Assistance with filing for Real Estate Tax Refunds (Certificates of Error)
- Provide property index numbers (PIN) as required by local municipal variance applications
- New Homeowner notification of correct property index number(s), potential eligibility for exemptions, and Cook County Real Estate Tax Bill process
- Information and Assistance with Use of Relevant Cook County Real Estate Internet Sites, i.e. Cook County Assessor, Cook County Board of Review, Cook County Treasurer, Cook County Recorder of Deeds and Cook County Clerk
- Assistance with Name and Address Changes for the Cook County Treasurer's Office and Property Location Changes for the Cook County Assessor's Office
- Processing of Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy with the Cook County Assessor for Entry on Tax Rolls
- Maintain current Real Estate Sales Transfer Declarations
- Free Notarization for property tax-related forms
- Provide forms for division and consolidation applications
Township Assessors do not assess property in Cook County. The thirty Cook County Township Assessors including Wheeling Township are not funded or controlled by the County Assessor. Assessment levels for all property are set by the Cook County Assessor. Your Wheeling Township Office cooperates with the Cook County Assessor’s Office in order to assist the taxpayer – you. We serve as your Taxpayer Advocate.
The Cook County Assessor is required by law to identify and assign fair market values to all properties in Cook County. The County Assessor does not set taxes, mail bills or collect taxes. The County Assessor is responsible only for estimating the value of your property, which determines your assessed valuation.
In addition, you can be assisted in filing for residential and commercial property appeals.
Understanding Your Assessment
Guide for Homeowners
- How Your Property’s Assessment is Determined
- Appealing Your Assessment
- What to do about High Property Taxes
- There are Four Property Tax Exemptions Available to Property Owners
- The Senior Citizen Tax Deferral Program
Helpful Links
This site provides information about the Cook County Assessor's (Jim Houlihan) office, which is responsible for assessing all property in Cook County. You can use this site to look up the assessment and characteristics of your property as well as the other 1.8 million parcels of property in the county. That information can be used as evidence in your assessment appeal at the County Assessor's Office, Board of Review and Property Tax Appeal Board. The county Assessor's site also contains information about property exemptions.
www.cookcountyboardofreview.com
This site will tell you how to file an assessment appeal at the Board of Review.
The Treasurer's web site allows you to check the status of your property tax bill payments as well as directing you where and how to pay your tax bill. Information is also available on refunds, services for senior, exemptions and tax dates.
The Cook County Recorder of Deeds site can be used to look up information about property transactions, deeds and mortgages.
The state of Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) site will provide information on how to file an assessment appeal at PTAB. ***ALERT*** Be advised that you may only file an appeal at PTAB if you have previously filed an appeal at the Cook County Board of Review for the tax year in question.
Find information on redemption of delinquent property taxes that have been sold. Learn how the Clerk's office calculates tax rates based on tax levies. This site will also give you information on how to get legal descriptions of parcels and copies of tax maps.