2013 Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Applications have been mailed and are due back to our office by July 1st, 2013. The qualifications are:

If you or someone you know needs help filing this application, please come visit us at one of our outreach sessions. When attending, please bring copies of your 2012 Federal Income Tax Form and/or Social Security Statement (SSA-1099). If the property is owned in trust, you may also need to provide proof of beneficiary.

The renewal applications for the Disabled Veterans Standard Homestead Exemption and the Homestead Exemption for Persons with Disabilities have been mailed and are due back to our office by July 1st, 2013. If you have any questions, or are applying for one of these exemptions for the first time, please visit our website, or contact our office at 847-377-2050.  

Homeowners can expect their assessment notices to be mailed any time from late July through late August for the 2013 tax year. It is important to note that many townships will be seeing assessments remaining steady in the near term. Taxpayers who have a homestead property and received a decision from the Board of Review reducing the assessed value of their property in 2011 or 2012 generally should see that decision held in place for the 2013 tax year (subject to the township equalization factor).

For the 2013 assessment appeal timeframe homeowners or their attorney representative will be able to file assessment appeals using the Board of Review E-Filing System. This new application was utilized by approximately 1400 property owners in the last few weeks of the 2012 cycle. Assessment appeal cases that are based on a recent sale, appraisal, or comparable properties will all be able to be submitted through this program electronically. We believe this system is very user friendly and will make the assessment appeal filing process easier for everyone. The option to file a paper appeal and mailing or hand delivering it to our office is still offered.

• As thousands of taxpayers have in recent years, a property owner can still file assessment appeals each year on their own.
• Taxpayers can utilize a state licensed appraiser to review their property value. The report this professional provides is oftentimes the best evidence a taxpayer can provide to the Board of Review. In this instance a taxpayer really just has to make copies of that report and fill out the assessment appeal form, a really simple process. The appraisal can even be submitted electronically.
• Property owners can also use information provided by licensed real estate brokers in their assessment appeal. A broker can be utilized as a witness in an assessment appeal case.
• In the instance where a property was recently purchased by a taxpayer (2012 and 2013), and the current assessment value is higher than their recent purchase, property owners have the evidence they need for an assessment appeal in their closing papers. One missing document could be the actual transfer declaration (PTAX-203) and if they need that one document, our office will provide it.
• Utilize the assistance provided in the Tax Assessment Help Centers provided by the Chief County Assessment Office. The schedule for these sessions will appear on the assessment notice.
• It is also important for taxpayers to call upon their elected township assessor's office for assistance with questions on their assessment valuation. These offices produce the initial valuation for all Lake County properties and are the best resource for information on subject properties and those that are comparable.
• Finally, there will also be instances where it is appropriate to hire legal representation. We hope that taxpayers will give our web services and the appropriate property tax offices a try prior to incurring this additional expense.

In addition to our Tax Assessment Help Centers that will be offered later this year, our office will have taxpayer advocates available during regular business hours in our office (Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) to help residents understand their property assessment and the appeal process. For additional information or questions please visit our website, or feel free to contact us as 847-377-2050 (phone) or assessor@lakecountyil.gov (email).