05/22/2020

By: Brittany Flaherty Theis

Yesterday, May 21, 2020, the Cook County Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance delaying the imposition of late interest penalties for the late payment of the second installment of property taxes for the 2019 tax year. The first installment of property taxes for the 2019 tax year was due on March 3, 2020. The second installment is due August 3, 2020. Citing authority in the Property Tax Code applicable to disasters, and Governor Pritzker’s proclamation establishing that all counties in Illinois are disaster areas, the Cook County Board determined that property owners in Cook County have been adversely affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the ordinance provides that no interest penalties for any late payment of the second installment of property taxes for the 2019 tax year (due August 3, 2020) will accrue until after October 1, 2020. Payments made on or before October 1, 2020 for the second installment will be considered paid timely.

Yesterday, the Will County Board also granted property tax relief to Will County property owners. The Will County Board considered multiple approaches to providing relief for property owners experiencing hardship due to COVID-19. In a unique approach to providing relief, the Will County Board approved the following plan:

  • 50% of the first installment is due June 3, 2020;
  • 50% of the first installment is due August 3, 2020;
  • 50% of the second installment is due September 3, 2020;
  • 50% of the second installment is due November 3, 2020; and
  • any unpaid balancing remaining after the August 3, 2020 and November 3, 2020 due dates will accrue interest.

Will County Treasurer Tim Brophy also announced alternate ways to pay property taxes. More information on those options can be found here.

Whitt Law has been closely monitoring property tax-related matters to assist clients as they analyze and revise their estimated cash flows and budgets and plan for potential shortfalls, as well as develop forecasts for the 2020 tax year. Please contact Whitt Law Senior Attorney Brittany Flaherty Theis with questions regarding the Cook County or Will County ordinances or to address your property tax-related inquiries.

 

 

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