What To Do When Your Tax Bill is Wrong

The second installment of Cook County real estate taxes are due tomorrow. If you haven’t paid, you better get a move on. 

What’s that you say?  You didn’t pay because the bill is wrong?  They forgot your homeowner’s exemption?  They forgot your senior exemption?  They forgot your senior freeze?  Wow, the county really did it this time, huh?  Did you say you were going to have it fixed and then pay the bill?  Is that right?

Wrong.  You need to pay the bill now.  You can go back and “fight city hall”, or in this case, Cook County, later.  You MUST pay the taxes first.  If not, you will be assessed late fees and penalties starting on August 2nd.  You will owe the late fees and penalties regardless of how wrong your bill was. 

Pay your taxes, and then go back and file a certificate of error for the missing exemption(s).  If you qualify for the exemption, eventually you’ll get a refund.