Public service announcement for Chicagoans who own their homes

I recently applied for the Homeowner's Exemption from the Cook County Treasurer's Office for the current tax year, and though I found it a somewhat difficult process, I did get it, and actually, it's not that hard if you know what you're doing (which I didn't). And it's very worth it. My yearly tax bill went down by over a thousand dollars this year. That is not a typo!

Here is basic information about what the Homeowner's Exemption is, from the Treasurer's Office:

http://www.cookcountytreasurer.com/exemptions.aspx?ntopicid=16

And here is how you look up the history of your property, with regards to that exemption. Very useful.

http://www.cookcountytreasurer.com/exemptions.aspx?ntopicid=15

There are two issues to look at if your property is not receiving the Exemption. The first issue is getting the Exemption on the books, for the current year (I think the "current" property tax year is 2004, oddly enough). The other issue is trying to get some kind of refund for past years in which the residence was owner-occupied, but the Exemption wasn't in place (a refund I believe you are eligible for, even if the owner was not you. As far as I can tell, the property tax system follows the property, not the person.)

So for the current year, you apply through the Assessor's Office, as it says on the first web page I linked to. Or, here is an online version of an Exemption booklet, containing forms you can simply print off and send in.

http://www.cookcountyassessor.com/filings/forms/2004exBooklet.pdf

Now, for past years, the following applies:

"Taxpayers who own property in the city of Chicago and would like help filing for a Certificate(s) of Error may visit the Chicago Tax Assistance Center in City Hall, Room 100, 121 North LaSalle Street, or call 312.744.1000."

If you call that number, you will probably get an extremely rude lady who will barely listen to your questions before abruptly hanging up on you. The funny thing is, she'll probably also send you the form you asked for, even if you didn't manage to ask for it before she hung up on you. This has happened to me two or three separate times.

If you're not interested in that experience, I think you can simply print out the Certificate Of Error Application form yourself at home, and send in one form for each past year when the exemption wasn't in place. Here is a link to that form. I just sent mine in this week, so I can't say how this part of the process actually turns out. But I have high hopes.

http://www.cookcountyassessor.com/forms/HoCofE.pdf

Best of luck.


Update:

Rejected!

I received my three applications back in the mail today. I must undergo another round with the Assessor's office, due to my limited understanding of the application process. Let's review the requirements to apply for a Certificate of Error, shall we? I'll summarize them here:

• "You must complete a Homeowner Exemption Certificate of Error Application for each year for which you are seeking a Certificate of Error."
  
• "You must submit a photocopy of one of the following:"
  
  
  
  1. A driver's license or state ID showing your address as the property address
     
  2. A voter's registration card or voting record from the tax year(s) for which you are applying
     
  3. A phone bill or letter from the phone company indicating the date of phone installation
     
  4. If neither 1., 2., nor 3. are available, a notarized affidavit from one person with personal knowledge (not the owner), stating that the property was owner occupied on January 1st of the year(s) for which you are applying.
     
  
  

So what did I submit? Three applications (satisfying the first section), and three separate notarized affidavits, written out by our condo management company, stating the required information (satisfying the second section).

Ah, but what did I receive? All my submitted paperwork, along with an enclosed photocopy of the above requirements, as I have shown them here. But a new item has been added -- written in ballpoint pen, actually -- reading "settlement statement".

One one of my applications is written, also in ballpoint pen, "We need one affidavit for all years stating the exact date that you moved in this property. Also include copy of settlement statement."

Make of this what you will! It is another trip to the notary for me. What are the REAL requirements to apply for a Certificate of Error? Only the shadow knows!