Next year’s First Installment Cook County property tax bills are available at cookcountytreasurer.com so that property owners can make payments before the end of this year or plan their finances for 2021, Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.

The First Installment Tax Year 2020, which is 55 percent of the previous year's total tax, is due March 2, 2021. However, the Cook County Board last week waived late charges through May 3, 2021.

"People need more time to pay. That’s the bottom line," Pappas said. "By posting the bills to my website now, property owners can start thinking about how to pay their bills for 2021, which is going to be a hard year for many, many people."

You can download your tax bill or make a payment by visiting cookcountytreasurer.com and following these steps:

• Select the blue box labeled "Pay Online for Free"
• Enter your address or 14-digit Property Index Number (PIN)
• There is no fee if you pay from your bank account

The Treasurer’s Office accepts partial payments. However, all First Installment Tax Year 2020 taxes must be paid by May 3, 2021, to avoid a late charge of 1.5 percent per month mandated by Illinois law.

You can also use cookcountytreasurer.com to:

• Search $76 million in available refunds
• Check if you are missing out on $46 million in property tax exemptions, which lower your tax bill
• Read the Pappas Study, a 20-year history of Cook County property taxes