Every fall, local townships post a list of assessed values for all homes in each township. The assessed value is the first step in determining your tax bill for next year.
Those assessed values will be posted soon, both on the individual township websites and in the local newspapers. But if you simply grumble about the amount, shrug your shoulders, and wait for the tax bill to arrive next summer, you could be missing an opportunity to lower your tax bill.
Here’s what you can do:
Determine when your property assessment will be published
Locate your property assessment when it is published and review it promptly
Take the time to understand your township's assessment process
Look for exemptions that you may qualify for that could reduce your property tax bill
Evaluate your property's valuation and potential for a successful appeal
This LW Reedy guide to understanding property assessed values and appealing those valuations will help you decode your tax notice and navigate the appeal process.
As of the publication of this blog post, local assessor’s offices have not set an exact date for the posting. Check with your local assessor's office for estimates on timing.
NOTE: Assessments are published online and in local papers but are NOT mailed to every property owner every year.
York Township
York Township estimates publication in September or October. Sign up for their Assessor Email List to receive notifications. You may also check the Dupage County Assessment Status Page or sign up to receive notifications from DuPage County.
For reference, 2025 assessments for York Township were posted on 10/16/25 and 10/17/25 with a final complaint filing of 11/17/25. Dates for 2026 are subject to change.
Addison Township
Addison Township estimates publication in late October. Check the Dupage County Assessment Status Page or sign up to receive notifications from DuPage County.
For reference, 2025 assessments for Addison Township were posted on 10/24/25 with a final complaint filing of 11/24/25. Dates for 2026 are subject to change.
Tax Bill Terms
Non-Negotiable Tax Rate
Definition: The non-negotiable tax rate is the baseline tax portion that cannot be appealed. It is an amount determined by the local governing bodies as the rate needed to support local schools, municipalities (cities, fire service, police, etc.), townships, park districts and forest preserves, libraries, etc.
To do: The only way to impact the tax rate is by voting in elections for referendums and elected officials.
Assessed Value of Your Property Used for Property Tax Purposes
Definition: Assessed value is determined by the township office, not by the homeowner. In both York and Addison Townships, this amount is one-third (33%) of the actual fair market value. For example, if your home has a market value of $400,000, its assessed value will be set at $132,000. ($400,000 x .33 = $132,000)
To do: Confirm that the amount makes sense. Explore an appeal if it does not.
Fair Market Value
Definition: Fair Market Value is the most probable price a property would sell for on the open market between a willing buyer and a willing seller. It is not the highest or lowest possible price.
Fair Market Value is determined by three factors.
1. Comparable sales which reflect the actual closing sales prices of similar properties in your immediate neighborhood over the last three years.
2. Property characteristics that include your lot size, square footage, age, construction materials, and recent improvements.
3. Market conditions including local real estate trends and economic factors affecting neighborhood property values.
To do: Confirm that your property characteristics are accurate. Call your township assessor office immediately to get errors corrected.
Contact your LW Reedy agent for consultation on comparable sales and market conditions to collect information for a possible appeal.
Exemptions
Definition: Exemptions reduce the taxable value of your property, directly lowering the overall amount you owe on your tax bill. Examples of exemptions that can be used to reduce property tax bills include:
General Homeowners Exemption
Homestead Improvement Exemption
Senior Homestead Exemption
Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze
Homestead Exemption For People With Disabilities
Standard Homestead Exemption For Veterans With Disabilities
Returning Veterans Homestead Exemption
To do: Notify the township office of any credits you are eligible for that are not reflected on your assessment. For more information, visit the Supervisor of Assessments page of the DuPage County website.
Due Dates
Taxpayers have a very short window to appeal: 30 days after assessments are published.
Appeals to the DuPage County Board of Review must be postmarked within 30 days of publishing or be hand-delivered to the assessor's office at 421 North County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187.
NOTE: Forms must be printed and mailed. Faxed or emailed forms are NOT accepted. All appeals must be postmarked on or before the deadline with no exceptions.
YORK TOWNSHIP
630-627-3354
Assessment Inquiry Form
DUE: 30 DAYS AFTER PUBLISHING
To ensure you receive all timely updates and notifications from York Township, sign up for the Assessor Email List.
If you notice an error on your valuation, the York Township Assessor's Office recommends calling them before filing a formal appeal. They can often resolve simple discrepancies directly.
ADDISON TOWNSHIP
630-530-8161
DUE: 30 DAYS AFTER PUBLISHING
Check the Dupage County Assessment Status Page or sign up to receive notifications from DuPage County.
If you notice an error on your valuation, the Addison Township Assessor's Office recommends calling them before filing a formal appeal. They can often resolve simple discrepancies directly.
Check First
Get your facts straight.
Is the description of your property accurate? Is the lot and building information correct? Is any information reflected on your tax bill inaccurate?
Has anything changed with your property that has an impact on its value? Are those changes reflected on your tax bill?
Are you getting all the exemptions available to you? These are not credits toward your tax bill but rather credits that reduce the assessed value of your home. All exemptions that you qualify for should be reflected on your tax bill.
Always check with your township office to confirm due dates, policies, and requirements.
Appeal-ability
An appeal must provide proof that the valuation on your property tax bill overstates your property's assessed value in comparing uniformity to other similar neighborhood assessments or is higher than the recent sale prices of similar neighborhood properties.
Can you appeal? It’s actually pretty simple to determine. If you fall into one of four groups, you qualify for an appeal:
If your recent home sale or appraisal is less than three times the assessed value on your tax bill
The tax bill reflects inaccurate information about your property, such as the description of your home or lot
The assessed values of similar neighborhood properties are lower than the assessed value of your property
The recent sale prices of neighborhood homes reflect a lower assessed value
If you don’t fit into any of those four categories, unfortunately, your tax bill is probably accurate.
If you need help understanding the process of finding comparable properties, contact your LW Reedy Real Estate agent. We are always happy to help.
Appeal Process
If you want to appeal, you can follow the four steps listed below. Additionally, you may want to consider hiring an appeal expert to see if there is anything else you can do.
Call the township assessor's office to review the information in their property files.
File an appeal using the Board of Review Assessment Appeal Forms on the DuPage County Forms and Documents web page.
Include at least three comparable properties, preferably within the same neighborhood. Include additional evidence of the value of your property. See the DuPage County Assessment Appeal webpage for details on comps or contact your LW Reedy Real Estate Agent for more information. Call your township to confirm requirements.
If you do not agree with the DuPage County Board of Review’s decision after your appeal, you can appeal through the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board or the Appellate/Circuit Court.
If you have a recent certified professional appraisal to use as evidence, call your assessor’s office to set up an appointment to review it with them.
Real estate professionals’ comps are useful in determining whether or not to move forward with an appeal. You can also use those comps to gather the proof you need: the property record cards for the comps. As a taxpayer, you have the right to inspect the property record cards, assessment records, real estate transfer declarations, and other evidence of the sale price of any property.
Contact your LW Reedy Real Estate agent or our office with questions about your property tax assessment notice and the appeal process. We have the expertise, experience, connections, and resources to help.
