Cook County Taxpayers Can Create a Payment Plan for Property Taxes Starting December 16

O'Connor discusses how Cook County taxpayers can create a payment plan for property taxes starting December 16.

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, December 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ --


Things are becoming so desperate in Cook County over the recent apocalyptic property tax bills that taxpayers are exploring all avenues to save their homes and businesses. With the average homeowner seeing a jump of 16% in their taxes, the entirety of Chicagoland is feeling the strain. Even worse, some neighborhoods are seeing enormous increases, including 133% in West Garfield Park. With accusations that the poor, working-class, and minorities are bearing the burden for the wealthy and business owners, outrage is climbing all across the county.

Some homeowners have even turned to burning their tax bills in protest. If owners are struggling to pay an exorbitant property tax bill right before Christmas, they may not have to take such extreme measures. Hearing the growing discontent, several government bodies have decided to attempt to alleviate the burden, all while still blaming the Cook County Assessor’s Office (CCAO), of course. The Board of Review (BOR) has reopened formerly closed township appeals for a limited time, though this will only help with future tax bills. The Cook County Treasurer, on the other hand, has announced a payment plan for those that cannot pay in full.

Taxes are Due December 15

As we have covered before, the second installment of property taxes for 2025 is due on December 15. This is months later than usual, as the second installment is usually mailed in July and due in August. Coming just before Christmas and massively over what anyone was expecting, homeowners of all backgrounds are now scrambling to get together money to avoid going delinquent. Typically, the delinquency clock starts at midnight on the day following the deadline, which would be December 16 in this case. This means that any late taxes will see compounding penalties and interest right away, making matters worse overnight.

Payment Plan Becomes Available on December 16

If owners cannot make their payment in full, then they have the option of signing up for a payment plan with the Cook County Treasurer. This can only be used for delinquent taxes, meaning they cannot sign up early, and must wait for the December 15 deadline to pass. They can then sign up through the Cook County Treasurer’s website for a payment plan that will help break up the tax bill into more digestible chunks. These payments can be set for monthly payments or set to be bi-weekly, whichever works better. The calculator on the site will give owners a breakdown of both options, allowing them to pick the option that is right for them.

Even though owners are enrolled in a payment plan, their taxes are still considered delinquent, which means penalties and interest still accumulate by Illinois law. The payment plan will take these costs into consideration when owners join, giving them a recurring bill with those increases factored in. There will be an interest rate of 9% for payments, which is half the standard 18% rate. While this does add to costs in the long run, it is certainly better than what the total would be if they waited to pay later in one lump sum. Making monthly payments also helps stave off the Annual Tax Sale, which can see properties with overdue taxes being sold to cover the costs. To avoid the Annual Tax Sale, taxes must be paid off within 13 months.

2026 Taxes are due in April

While the payment plan will help owners settle the second installment of taxes, the next round of bills is quickly approaching. While the recent tax bills were delayed months, they will only be granted an extension of one month for their first 2026 tax bill. Originally set to be mailed in February and due in March, the 2026 first installment will instead be sent in March and be due in April. This is not much time, especially if they are still paying off their current 2025 taxes. Unfortunately, there is little chance of their taxes in 2026 being any lower than the current ones.

Appeals Can Lower 2026 Taxes

While it is too late to do anything about the current tax bill, owners can look to bring down future burdens. Exemptions are the first step, and owners should apply to all the ones they qualify. If owners forget to add an exemption, they can get it retroactively added through a certificate of error, though these are currently being delayed thanks to the same issues affecting tax bill processing. Appeals are the next option, one that a growing number of Cook County residents are exploring. Typically, owners would have no recourse in lowering their first installment in 2026, as the appeal window has lapsed. However, due to the current unpleasantness, the BOR has reopened many townships to a last-minute appeal window.

About O'Connor:
O’Connor is one of the largest property tax consulting firms, representing 185,000 clients in 49 states and Canada, handling about 295,000 protests in 2024, with residential property tax reduction services in Illinois, Texas, Georgia, and New York. O’Connor’s possesses the resources and market expertise in the areas of property tax, cost segregation, commercial and residential real estate appraisals. The firm was founded in 1974 and employs a team of 1,000 worldwide. O’Connor’s core focus is enriching the lives of property owners through cost effective tax reduction.

Property owners interested in assistance appealing their assessment can enroll in O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program ™. There is no upfront fee, or any fee unless we reduce your property taxes, and easy online enrollment only takes 2 to 3 minutes.

Patrick O'Connor, President
O'Connor
+ + +1 713-375-4128
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