Frequently Asked Questions

How can my assessment be higher than my recent appraisal?
An assessment by state law represents the value as of Jan 1st based on the three previous year’s sales that have occurred.  Therefore for the 2011 assessments we looked at sales that occurred in 2008, 2009, and 2010.  For 2012 I will look at the sales that occurred in 2009, 2010, and 2011.  These sales are analyzed and compared with their assessed values and their sale cost per square foot.  An assessment is to distribute the tax burden fairly within each tax district.  If two homes are exactly alike they should have the same assessment even though they may have a different purchase price.  The three year average keeps the tax process a little more even making it easier for the taxing districts and the tax payer to budget their taxes.  An appraisal is usually based on what the housing market is doing for the last 6 months to 1 year.  Many of the banks have tightened their lending practices and are making it more difficult to get a loan.

Why are my taxes higher than my neighbors?
As the Assessor I do not know what anyone pays in taxes. I only place value on properties in Plato Township.  There may be many reasons why someone’s taxes are less; are they entitled to exemptions that you may not be getting?; is it based on a full year or is it a prorated house that only has a partial assessment?; is the land at a developer’s rate or at a full residential value?; are they entitled to farm land assessment?; do they have the same taxing districts?   Plato Township has many different taxing districts, each with their own tax rate.  The various taxing districts for your property would determine the total tax you pay.  A listing of the taxing districts for your property is on your tax bill along with each of the taxing district’s rates.

Why did I not receive a notice this year?
An assessment notice is sent to any property owner that I made a change to their assessment.   If I did not change the assessment there is no notice sent.  The Supervisor of Assessment prints my changes in the local newspaper (in Plato’s area that is the Courier News) along with the amount of a multiplier, if any, that would be applied to all properties in the township excluding farmland.  I also update our website so property owners will know that a multiplier was applied. 

What do I do if I do not agree with my assessment?
If after receiving your new assessment you feel your property has been incorrectly valued, please call this office at 847-464-4221.  We can go over your questions or concerns and make any corrections if necessary.  If after talking with us you still feel you are not being assessed fairly, you may file a complaint with the Kane County Board of Review, and request a hearing.  Complaint forms may be obtained at the Supervisor of Assessments Office within 30 days from the date of publication in the newspaper for the new assessments.  Please remember that this hearing must be regarding the market value of your property for the current assessment year only.  It cannot be concerning the taxes you pay or your tax rate.