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Skidmore New Picture Taxpayer News

April 2012 
  
 2011 Tax Bills To Be Mailed Soon!  

Important Message

The The 2011 Lake County Tax Bills will be mailed the first week in May.

Due Date
1st installmentJune 6
2nd installmentSeptember 6
 
Homeowners that may depend on the US Postal Service to "Temporarily Forward" their annual tax bill to a second location should be aware that pursuant to new postal regulations, your future bills may not be forwarded as they have in the past. It's recommended that those Lake County property owners sign up for our e-newsletter, and an e-mail will be sent to all subscribers when the annual tax bills are available. Failure to receive a bill does not relieve the taxpayer of late payment penalties.

For the second consecutive year, Illinois Department of Revenue issued a State Multiplier other than 1.0000 to Lake County.

 

When taxpayers receive their 2011 tax bills, they will see a line that reads "state multiplier 1.0281." This number comes from the Illinois Department of Revenue and means that assessed values will rise 2.81% for tax billing purposes. It does NOT mean that tax bills will go up by 2.81%. In most years, the "state multiplier" or equalization factor is 1.0000, which means the assessed value on a piece of property does NOT change.

 

The assessment process is a way of dividing tax burden. If everyone's value goes up by the same percentage at billing, the relative burden does not change.

 

Over the last several years, the Lake County Board of Review saw a record number of filings for appeals. The volume of successful appeals, coupled with valuation change requests submitted by local assessing officials, led to the need for a higher state multiplier in order to bring Lake County assessed values to 33-1/3 of the market value.
Tax Appeals
Please remember that the appeal process for the annual tax must be done within 30 days from the time you receive your annual assessment notice in late summer or early fall. Once the tax bills have been received it is actually too late to file an appeal. That being said, it's extremely important to pay very close attention to your total exemptions that you are receiving on the bill; these exemptions could lower the current tax bill.

For a complete list of exemptions, go to the Property Tax Relief web page. 
Payment Options
In-Person
In-person payment options again include payment via U.S. Mail, at most Lake County banks, and at the Lake County Treasurer's Office, 18 N. County Street, Room 102, Waukegan, Illinois. Customers paying in-person must bring the original or a copy of the tax bill with them at the time of payment.
Online
Online payments can be made by credit card on the Treasurer's website. An added fee of 2.35% is charged for each credit card transaction by a third party vendor and will be shown separately from your tax amount on your credit card statement. Absolutely no additional funds are provided to any taxing district. When using this option, please make sure your line of credit covers the tax amount as well as the additional fee.
Online E-Check
Taxpayers may make E-check payments online. There is a $30,000 maximum and a convenience fee of $1 per transaction charged by the processing company.
Phone
Call Interactive Voice Response System (IVR) at 1.877.690.3729 to make your payment by phone. Your credit card number, Property Index Number (PIN), and the Jurisdiction code #7021 will be needed to complete the transaction. Credit cards will be charged an additional fee of 2.35% by the processing company.
Automatic Withdrawal
Automatic withdrawal can be made from many checking or saving accounts. The Treasurer's office must receive a completed application no later than 14 days prior to the due date.
Local Banks
Many Lake County banks will accept payments from the day the bills are mailed in early May through the 2nd installment due date, September 6.

Drop Box
Two drop box locations are open 24 hours a day for your convenience. The boxes are open from the day the bills go in the mail in early May through the 2nd installment due date, September 6. 

The two locations are
  1. Lake County Courthouse and Administrative Complex
    Northeast entrance on 18 N. County Street, Waukegan
  2. Free-standing mail drop on drive leading to the Lake County Central Permit Facility
    1/4 mile west of Milwaukee Ave. off Winchester Rd., Libertyville
More details.
E-Banking
Special notice to those who pay their bills through their local banks website

Please be aware that these payments do take additional time to be received by the Treasurer's office. It is extremely important that you add your Property Index Number (PIN) to that record so the payment can be properly posted.
Quick Links

Real Estate Tax Assessment Informaton

For a better understanding of the tax bills and how the amounts are set, please review the links below.
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Please contact our office with any questions or comments. We can be reached at 847.377.2323 or by email at treasurer@lakecountyil.gov.