Every property in Illinois is assigned an assessed value by the county assessor. This value determines how much you pay in property taxes. If your assessment is too high relative to similar properties, you may be overpaying.

Property owners have the right to appeal their assessment through the county Board of Review. The process involves submitting evidence, typically comparable properties with lower assessments, that demonstrates your property is over-assessed relative to the local market.

Appeals are free to file and can be done without an attorney. Many homeowners successfully reduce their assessments by presenting 3-5 comparable properties with similar characteristics (square footage, lot size, age, location) that are assessed lower than their own.

Illinois also offers several property tax exemptions that can further reduce your tax bill, including the General Homestead Exemption ($6,000 EAV reduction), Senior Homestead ($5,000 for age 65+), Senior Freeze (locks your assessment), and Disabled Veterans exemptions.