Why did my tax bill go up?
Your taxes may be higher than they were last year for any or all of the four general reasons:
- You may not be receiving all of the homestead exemptions for which your property is eligible.
- Other properties in your area may qualify for one or more exemptions for which you are not eligible.
- The local governments (such as municipalities and schools) in your area may have approved a higher tax levy than last year.
- The rate of value change can vary, even in the same neighborhood. If your property’s value change was higher than the average in your area, your relative tax burden will be greater than it was last year. If your property’s value change was lower than the average change in your area, your relative tax burden will be less than it was last year.
Where does the property tax money go?
The largest portion goes to the schools; the remaining portions go to the other local governments in the County.
Does Kane County decide how much in property tax other local governments (such as schools) can levy?
No. Each local government makes this decision independently; Kane County has no authority to issue any property tax levy but its own.
How can I see how much tax I pay to each district for just my property?
Visit https://kaneil.devnetwedge.com. You can search for your property by tax parcel number, address, or owner name. Once you are at your record, you can see how much property tax you pay to each taxing body that levies against your property. By changing the year, you can see this data all the way back to 2004.
Where does the property tax money come from?
It comes from all types of property, according to its proportional value of the total property in the County:
- Residential: 75.7%
- Commercial: 12.8%
- Industrial: 9.6%
- Farm: 1.7%
- Other: 0.02%
What should I do if I think my property is over-assessed?
First, discuss the assessment with the Township Assessor. In Kane County, each of the 16 Townships elect their own Assessor who develops all initial property valuations at the Township level, not the County level. The 16 Township Assessors can be reached at:
How is my property’s assessment determined?
For most non-farm property, the Township Assessor estimates the fair cash value, then develops an assessed value based on 33.33% of that fair cash value as of January 1 of the assessment year, using the three prior years of sales. The Supervisor of Assessments equalizes all assessments for uniform valuations in the County.
How are farm assessments determined?
Under the state property tax code, farmland assessment is based on agricultural economic value, not fair cash value. Farmland in the Chicago metro area is valued the same as rural areas in southern Illinois. Major factors in farmland valuation include soil productivity, crop prices, and farm loan interest rates.
How can I file an assessment complaint with the Board of Review?
If you have spoken to your Township Assessor’s office and still wish to formally contest your assessment, you can file a complaint with the Kane County Board of Review within 30 days of your township’s assessment notice being published in your local newspaper. A list of local newspapers is available at Assessments.KaneCountyIL.gov/pages/publications.aspx. Bases for appeal:
- Discrepancy in Physical Data ("The property records shows I have a 2,400 square foot house, but my survey shows I have only 2,200 square feet").
- Valuation ("The equalized assessed value is greater than 1/3 of my property's fair cash value").
- Equity ("my equalized assessed value is greater than comparable properties in my neighborhood"
The state Property Tax Appeal Board has consistently ruled that the amount of taxes paid or percentage of change in value from one year to the next is not a valid basis for an appeal.
When can I file an assessment complaint with the Board of Review?
By state law, assessment complaints for a township may be filed up to 30 days after a reassessment notice is published in a local newspaper. You can receive an e-mail notice of the publication of a township assessment roll by visiting Assessments.KaneCountyIL.gov and selecting the “subscribe” link, and entering your e-mail address.
When I get my tax bill, is it too late to file a complaint?
Yes, it is too late unless you have already taken your complaint to the Board of Review for that taxable year.
How can I compare the assessed value of my property to similar homes?
You have the right to inspect the township assessor’s records, which contain assessed values as well as other information. You may inspect the records for any parcel of property, as well as the records for your own property, subject to reasonable regulations set forth by local officials
Will I be notified if my assessment is going to be increased?
By state law, notices of all assessment changes are published in a local newspaper. Also, if the Township Assessor changes your assessment, the County Supervisor of Assessments will mail you an additional notice via U.S. Mail sent to the same address where your tax bill is sent. Additionally, you can automatically receive e-mail notification of assessment roll publication by visiting the County Assessment Office on the web at Assessments.KaneCountyIL.gov, selecting “subscribe”, and entering your e-mail address.
What else can I do to minimize my property tax burden?
Call the County Assessment Office to verify that you are receiving the exemptions for which you qualify. If you have questions about the rate charged by a specific taxing body, we suggest that you contact that taxing body. If you have specific questions about your assessed valuation, please contact your township assessor.
How does the Tax Cap law apply to Kane County?
Kane County is under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law which limits the total amount of property tax that can be levied by most local governments. Generally, the law limits the increase of a local government’s tax levy by 5% or the rate of inflation (whichever is less) over the highest levy of the prior three years. The tax caps are not applicable to:
- Increases due to newly constructed property;
- Bonded indebtedness of a local government; Home Rule communities;
- Recaptures from adjudication; and
- Increases approved by the voters through referenda.
This law provides that a local government’s levy is developed independent of property values, and property taxes can rise or fall
regardless of what happens to property values.
I don’t know my parcel index number (PIN); how can I get it?
Your PIN is on your property tax bill or on your assessment notice. You can also get your PIN by contacting your township assessor, the County Assessment Office, or selecting Property Search at Assessments.KaneCountyIL.gov.
How do I change the mailing address on my tax bill?
Each tax bill has a pre-printed form on the back.
What if I have further questions about property tax in Kane County?
For questions about:
I need to find all parcels within so many feet of my property for a variance, how can I get a list?
Visit Assessments.KaneCountyIL.gov/pages/buffer.aspx for instructions.
