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Cook County Property Owners to Receive Automatic Payouts for Overpaid Taxes
Over 10,000 Cook County Homeowners to Get Tax Refunds Automatically
In a recent announcement, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas revealed that over 10,000 property owners in Cook County will receive more than $22 million in automatic refunds for overpaid 2023 property taxes. This news comes as a relief to many especially senior citizens and other residents who benefit from tax exemptions. According to WGN-TV, the automatic tax refund will be distributed to the owners of 10,099 properties. Of these 5,813 will have the funds directly deposited into their accounts while 4,286 will receive checks in the mail by August 9. The refunds are part of an effort to return money to taxpayers who paid more than they owed due to the value of various tax exemptions.
According to Pappas, a large number of property owners—especially those who are elderly—receive tax exemptions that exceed their property tax obligations. These exemptions, which are applied to the second installment tax bill and lower the total amount owed include the Homeowner, Senior Citizen, Senior Freeze, and Disabled Persons exemptions. These property owners are now eligible for refunds since they had previously paid the first installment in March. The good news is that most of the property owners eligible for these refunds will not have to file any applications, fill out forms, or deal with any paperwork. The refunds are sent automatically making the process convenient for taxpayers. Pappas encouraged property owners to visit cookcountytreasurer.com to check if they have an automatic tax refund coming. By selecting the purple box labeled “Your Property Tax Overview” and entering their address or 14-digit Property Index Number (PIN) they can see if they qualify for a tax refund.
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$22M Tax Refund Bonanza Hits 10,000+ Cook County Homeowners (PHOTO: YouTube)
Cook County‘s Automatic Program Returns $143.2 Million to Homeowners Since 2018
Furthermore, since 2018 the Cook County Treasurer’s Office has refunded $143.2 million to over 165,114 property owners through an automatic tax refund program eliminating the need for applications. Property taxes are due in two installments: March 1 (55% of the previous year’s total) and August 1 (including exemptions). This program underscores the Treasurer’s commitment to efficiency and transparency. Residents can check their tax refund status at Cookcountytreasurer.com.
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