The firm’s real estate tax practice manages more than 10,000 tax parcels across the nation and is composed of property tax litigators who have devoted their entire legal careers to the field of state and local property tax.
We ensure that our clients pay only the minimal amount in property taxes required by law through challenging assessments and pinpointing other tax-savings opportunities. Neal Gerber Eisenberg also maintains a significant property tax foreclosure and property tax exemption practice.
Although nationwide, Neal Gerber Eisenberg’s real estate tax practice has a substantial presence in Cook County, Ill. and surrounding collar counties comprising the Chicago metropolitan area. We have managed many assessment appeals that have ended at the Illinois Supreme Court and have served as lead counsel to the taxpayers of Cook County in annually filed court actions challenging the legality of property tax levies.
Assessment Review
Our attorneys monitor the local assessor’s official assessment records for all properties under firm property tax management. Each tax year, Neal Gerber Eisenberg reviews assessors’ estimates of market value with reference to the cost, income and market approaches to value. Assessors’ records are also examined to verify the accuracy of the description of the property’s physical characteristics and whether the assessment complies with applicable law.
Clients are also contacted to review any physical or economic changes to a property. In the event the assessment review process discloses an excessive assessment, factual error or legal issue, we inform our clients of their appeal rights.
Assessment Appeals
If an appeal is deemed appropriate, the client is advised of the basis for the appeal, the appeal process, the amount of tax at stake and the estimated cost of the appeal. Often, an independent property appraisal is needed to support the assessment reduction requested. An appraisal is not commissioned without the prior approval of the client.
For all appeals, the attorneys supervise the completion of all required appeal forms and write a position statement that sets forth the basis for the appeal and the assessment requested. Attorneys appear at all administrative and judicial hearings on behalf of firm clients.
Statutory and Regulatory Tax-Saving Opportunities
Our professionals scour the laws and regulations that may provide qualifying property owners with significant tax savings. A non-exclusive list of properties that may qualify for tax-saving opportunities includes: historical, new or substantially rehabilitated commercial and industrial properties; properties with open space, conservation easements, wetlands and pollution control facilities; properties located in enterprise and empowerment zones; and properties used for charitable, school or religious purposes that are exempt from property tax.
Illegal Tax Rate Litigation
Historically, our firm has acted as court-appointed “lead counsel” in connection with the annual filing of circuit court actions challenging the legality of property tax levies extended by the seven largest taxing districts in Cook County: the City of Chicago, the County of Cook, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, the Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the Community College District #508 and the Board of Education of the City of Chicago. Neal Gerber Eisenberg’s work in this highly technical area of property tax has resulted in the refund of millions of dollars in illegal property taxes to Cook County property owners.