State Statute provides for an accelerated method of billing the first installment of property taxes in Cook County. The accelerated payment amount is based upon 55 percent of the prior year property tax. Please note that the second installment will be based upon the actual tax due less first installment payment. See statute below:
(35 ILCS 200/21-30) Sec. 21-30. Accelerated billing. Except as provided in this Section, Section 9-260, and Section 21-40, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, by January 31 annually, estimated tax bills setting out the first installment of property taxes for the preceding year, payable in that year, shall be prepared and mailed. The first installment of taxes on the estimated tax bills shall be computed at (i) 50% of the total of each tax bill for the preceding year for taxes payable on or before December 31, 2009, and (ii) 55% of the total of each tax bill for the preceding year beginning with the first installment payable in 2010. If, prior to the preparation of the estimated tax bills, a certificate of error has been either approved by a court on or before November 30 of the preceding year or certified pursuant to Section 14-15 on or before November 30 of the preceding year, then the first installment of taxes on the estimated tax bills shall be computed at (i) 50% of the total taxes for the preceding year as corrected by the certificate of error for taxes payable on or before December 31, 2009, and (ii) 55% of the total taxes for the preceding year, as corrected by the certificate of error, beginning with the first installment payable in 2010. By June 30 annually, actual tax bills shall be prepared and mailed. These bills shall set out total taxes due and the amount of estimated taxes billed in the first installment, and shall state the balance of taxes due for that year as represented by the sum derived from subtracting the amount of the first installment from the total taxes due for that year.