Claire Burke did everything she could to avoid surprise payments. But despite signing up for multiple property tax relief programs, she still got an unexpected $4,300 bill in the mail.

The trigger for this four-figure bill? A massive reassessment notice on Burke’s Chicago property.

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According to Cook County, Burke’s home soared in value by $200K within one year, even though Burke didn’t make any changes or renovations.

What made this tax bill extra surprising was the fact that Burke was enrolled in both the Senior Citizens' Real Estate Tax Deferral and the Low-Income Senior Freeze Exemption, both of which are meant to keep these kinds of charges in check.

As a widow on Social Security, the jump from $0 to $4,300 would have left Burke in a vulnerable situation. As she told NBC Chicago, this payment means, “I eat less, I make do with less. I can't buy anything, I can’t replace anything” (1).

To figure out why these exemptions didn’t protect her, Burke first reached out to the Cook County Treasurer’s Office and then the assessor’s office. In both cases, officials offered no hope, telling Burke she would have to find a way to pay the $4,300.

But Burke wasn’t done fighting. Instead of giving in and paying this property tax, she connected with attorney Glenn Guttman through the Chicago Bar Association.

After investigating Burke’s case, Guttman and NBC Chicago found that Burke didn’t lose her exemptions. In fact, she didn’t owe anything.

When NBC Chicago spoke to the treasurer’s office, officials said they didn’t receive state funding for the Senior Citizens’ Real Estate Tax Deferral Program. Once they receive these funds in a few weeks, they should remove the payment Burke received in the mail.

Although this story has a happy ending, it serves as a cautionary tale for homeowners facing surprise property tax hikes.

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​Although reassessment rules vary by county, Burke’s case shows how rising home values can quickly translate into higher property tax bills.

In Cook County, appraisals take place on a three-year rotating cycle (2). So, when neighborhood sale prices climb, longtime owners like Burke can see large “paper” increases even if they haven’t remodeled. Since property taxes are a combination of a home’s equalized assessed value (EAV) and the county’s latest rates, a higher assessment creates a much larger bill (3).

The main way to get relief from high property taxes is to take advantage of local exemptions that reduce the taxable value of your house.

In Burke’s case, she used the Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption to reduce her home’s taxable value by $8,000.

​She also had the Low-Income Senior Assessment Freeze that locks in a senior’s EAV at a base year for those earning below a certain income threshold (currently $65,000). That way, rising market values don’t increase the taxable amount.

And Chicago isn’t alone in offering these exemptions to help senior homeowners. As another example, Atlanta created anti-displacement tax funds to subsidize future increases for longtime residents (4).

But even with programs to help seniors, many homeowners are struggling to keep pace with higher property taxes following the post-2020 housing boom.

According to the Tax Foundation, property values rose nearly 27% faster than inflation since 2020 (5), and the real estate analytics company ATTOM found the average property tax is now $4,172 for a single-family home (6).

Realtor.com also noted that 59.5% of properties in the U.S. received upward appraisals between 2023 and 2024 (7).

Many older homeowners who bought decades ago typically have substantial equity but limited cash flow. So, these sharp reassessments are more common and are likely to significantly raise yearly expenses on an already tight budget.

The issue of rising property taxes has become so great that lawmakers in some states are pushing to eliminate them (8). However, rather than betting on legislation, today’s homeowners need strategies to prepare or reduce property tax bills.

​Homeowners may not be able to stop reassessments, but they do have the power to appeal these new prices if they think they’re too high.

To build your case, you could look for any factual errors in the reassessment report and gather comps of recent sales of nearby properties for a lower value. Once you’ve built your case, file online through your county assessor or work with a tax appeal firm for personalized help.

Just keep in mind that the window to file these appeals is short, and it’s usually before you receive your tax bill.

As Guttman told NBC Chicago, “The critical point is when property is reassessed, revalued. The letter comes in the mail, you need to start asking questions right away.”

​While homeowners can’t challenge the tax rate itself, they can reduce their bill through exemptions and relief programs. Many counties offer programs similar to the ones Burke used, such as senior homestead exemptions, assessment freezes for lower-income seniors or tax deferral programs that delay payments until a home is sold.

Because these programs lower the taxable value of a home or postpone payments, it’s important to make sure they are correctly applied to your bill. Administrative issues, funding delays or paperwork errors like the one Burke encountered can sometimes make it appear as if you owe more than you actually do.

If anything is missing on your property tax bill, contact your assessor or treasurer with questions, and consider working with an attorney if you feel you aren’t getting what you deserve.

If you need help finding or applying for tax relief programs, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are a good place to find details on these tax benefits.

But even with all of these protections, it’s still more likely that homeowners will pay higher property taxes in today’s environment. A simple way to realistically prepare for these payments is to treat property taxes as a monthly expense by dividing the total by 12 and setting aside an appropriate amount each month.

If you don’t already use a money management app, consider downloading one to track all of your expenses and figure out ways to budget more efficiently.

​We can’t control market trends or tax rates, but discounts and exemptions on property taxes are possible. Taking a few proactive steps, like signing up for relief programs and setting extra money aside, can make all the difference between a manageable property tax bill and a frightening financial burden.

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We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

NBC Chicago (1); Cook County Treasurer (2); Illinois Department of Treasury (3); Invest Atlanta (4); Tax Foundation (5); PR Newswire (6); Realtor.com (7); AP News (8)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.