Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Illinois
How do I submit a property tax appeal for my small business? I live in Chicago.
2 Answers from Attorneys
The appeal process begins when the Assessor issues his assessment and opens a particular township for the filing of appeals. Generally, the owner/taxpayer has 30 days to file its appeal form and material in support of that appeal with the Assessor. The Assessor will issue a decision on your complaint which may be a reduction in your assessment, or not. If you are dissatisfied, you can continue your appeal to the Cook County Board of Review. The Board opens particular townships just like the Assessor, intermittently during the course of a 10-month period of time. You do not have to file an appeal at the Assessor's Office in order to avail yourself of the appeal process at the Board of Review. Unlike an appeal at the Assessor's level, you may have an opportunity to have an " oral hearing" on your appeal at the Board of Review where you can talk to a Commissioner, or one of their deputies and discuss the issues which you believe suggest your property's market value is too high, or perhaps that the Assessor's property record card is improper in some way such that it unfairly represents the value of your property. As a small business owner, you MUST have legal representation in order to file at the Board of Review. Generally, attorneys practicing in this field of expertise charge a contingent fee if they successfully reduce your assessment, which in turn, will lead to a lower taxbill than it would have been if the assessment was not reduced. Thus, there generally is no pain (payment of legal fees), unless there is a gain (a lower taxbill than otherwise would have been). Both the Chicago Bar Association {(312) 554-2001} and the Illinois State Bar Association {(877) 692-7142} have "Lawyer Referral Services" which can assist in finding a reputable attorney to represent you.
Go to the Assessor's Office in the County Building @ Clark/Randolph and go to the Taxpayer Assistance Center and as Mr. Guttman explains, prepare to become perplexed. Or hire a property tax consultant/attorney.