Cook County Treasurer Introduces Free Payment Plan Calculator, Available One Day After Property Taxes Are Due

COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) — A new online tool will be available Friday to help Cook County residents pay their property taxes.

The payment plan calculator is free and helps homeowners set up payment plans.

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Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas wants to help homeowners who are having trouble paying their bills.

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The calculator is designed to help taxpayers manage incremental payments over time so that their tax bill is paid in full before the annual tax sale.

Last year, the Illinois General Assembly created a task force to recommend payment options to prevent Cook County homes with tax debts from being sold during the annual tax sale.

The tool will launch on August 2, the day after property taxes are due.

The tool is available at cookcountytreasurer.com.

Community groups are helping to spread the message.

“We see the issues that they’re facing, especially our seniors, who have done everything they need to do and paid their mortgages, and they find taxes and the threat of losing their homes to be a really critical issue,” Pappas said. “Our next initiative is Springfield and what we can do to eliminate tax sales altogether.”

Many homeowners in Cook County are struggling to pay their bills and are contacting the I-Team.