Cook County Treasurer's Office Mails Out First-Installment Property Tax Bills
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Cook County Treasurer's office has mailed out the first-installment property tax bills for Tax Year 2021.
A total of 1.8 million bills have been sent out.
Payments for the first installment are due on March 1. The first installment amounts to 55 percent of the previous year's total tax.
Exemptions to reduce a property owner's taxes will be applied later on the second installment bill.
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas advised that the first installment bills were posted on cookcountytreasruer.com back on Dec. 7, and since then, nearly 13,000 property owners have paid their taxes online.
"Paying property taxes through cookcountytreasurer.com is quick, easy and secure," Pappas said in a news release. "Think about how many other things you do on the web. "If you've never paid your property taxes online, I urge to do so. You'll receive an electronic receipt that will come in handy when you prepare your income tax return."
Pappas advised that to make a payment online, you should visit cookcountytreasurer.com and do the following:
• Select the blue box labeled "Pay Online for Free"
• Enter your address or 14-digit Property Index Number (PIN).
Pappas advises there is no fee for property tax owners who pay online through their bank accounts. The Treasurer's office does accept partial payments, but first installment taxes must be paid by March 1 – or else there will be a late fee of 1.5 percent per month.