$30.5 Million In Property Tax Refunds Headed To Cook County Homeowners

CHICAGO — About 9,000 property owners in Cook County have begun receiving automatic tax refunds this week, according to the Cook County Treasurer's Office.

A total of more than $30.5 million in refunds will be automatically returned to taxpayers who overpaid the first installment of their property taxes last year.

“This service is a huge convenience for homeowners who have overpaid their property taxes,” Treasurer Maria Pappas said in a statement.

Pappas's office launched the automatic refund program in 2018. Since then, more than 155,000 property owners have been refunded about $121.2 million.

Nearly half of this year's refunds are due to be deposited directly into taxpayer's accounts during the next three months, according to the treasurer's office.

About 4,000 homeowners who overpaid their taxes through their bank or mortgage escrow account will see $8 million worth of refund checks in the mail.

Another roughly 2,900 who overpaid $9.3 million by cash or check will either get an electronic refund or a refund application in the mail.

And the approximately 1,900 property taxpayers who overpaid online will collectively have $13.1 million headed their way.

According to Pappas's office, the majority of the refunds will go to homeowners who receive property tax exemptions due to being homeowners, seniors or disabled.

Those exemptions are applied to the second installment of property taxes, which were due at the start of the month.

“Most will not have to file an application, fill out any forms or deal with any paperwork," Pappas said. "They will get their money automatically.”

Tax bills and refund information for individual properties is available via the Cook County treasurer's website.