Office of the Assessor

 The Vernon Township Assessor is your liaison to the Chief County Assessment Office. The Township Assessor is an elected position (4-year terms). The assessor must be certified by the State and meet continuing education requirements. 

The job of the assessor is to value all taxable parcels of property within the township in a uniform manner, so all properties are valued at the same approximate assessment level. This creates a fair share spread of the real estate tax burden. The assessor has no say or control of the tax monies requested of any given taxing district.

RENEWAL OF EXEMPTIONS

All 2022 annual exemptions will be required to apply on-line – you can apply on-line through the Chief County Assessment Office Smart E-Filing Portal at www.assessor.lake. 

Vernon Township Assessor’s Office will help you file it online for you. 

Please contact my office should if you have questions. Vernon Township Assessor Office - 847-634-4602.

Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Information

Property owners age 65 and older who have total household incomes of $65,000 or less are encouraged to apply for the Senior Citizen’s Assessment Freeze.  Applications and Federal Tax Returns will be required in 2022.  All applications must be submitted by July 31, 2022  

 This senior freeze program may reduce your property tax bill by freezing the taxable equalized assessed value of your property, which impacts the total tax you pay.  It does NOT freeze your taxes, but it protects you from tax increases due to rising property values. Even if you have applied for and been granted the freeze exemption in prior years, you must renew your application annually. 

To apply for the senior freeze exemption, the applicant must: 

  • Be 65 years or older 
  • Have a total household income of $65,000 or less for 2021 
  • Have owned and occupied the home on Jan. 1, 2021 and Jan. 1, 2022 

How to Apply:

In 2022, all applications must be submitted online through the Lake County Portal or for assistance you can come to the Vernon Township Assessor’s office and we will help you submit it on-line. You will need:

  • Your 2021 tax return.
  • If the property is owned in trust, proof of beneficiary of the trust may also be required. 
  • Driver’s License in current address.

To apply on - line via portal - 

  • Go to the Chief County Assessment Office Smart E-Filing Portal at assessor.lakecountyil.gov 
  • Log in to your account, create a new account, or log in as a guest 
  • Click “Available Filings” and choose “EX – Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption” 
  • Click “Begin Filing” 
  • Enter the tax year, 2022, and your property PIN, and follow the instructions 
  • Note that while you do not need to submit proof of income, the Chief County Assessment Office may ask for additional information from you when reviewing your application. 

Veterans with Disabilities Exemption Renewal

The Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities must be filed every year in order to retain this exemption.   The filing period for tax year 2022 is now open.  The renewal can be filed on-line or in-person at the Vernon Township Assessor’s Office.

Proof of disability:

The exemption requires a proof of your service-connected disability rating every year unless are a surviving spouse of a veteran. The letter must contain the following information: an issuing date of 2022 and the percentage of overall service-connected disability. Proof of disability in letter form can be obtained from any one of the following:

• Veterans Affairs Regional Office - call (800) 827-1000 

• Veteran’s E-Benefit account at www.ebenefits.va.gov

How to Apply On-Line:

  • Have your property PIN number and recent service-connected award letter 
  • Go to assessor.lakecountyil.gov and click on the Smart E-Filing Portal button in the blue bar on the middle of the page 
  • Log in to your account, create a new account, or log in as a guest 
  • Click “Available Filings” and choose “EX03: Disabled Persons or Disabled Veterans Exemption Renewal” 
  • Click “Begin Filing” 
  • Enter the tax year, 2022, and your property PIN, and follow the instructions 
  • Upload the service-connected disability letter
  • If the property is owned in trust, proof of beneficiary of the trust may also be required.

How To file in person:

  • Bring your ID such as drivers’ license
  • Bring your current service-connected disability letter
  • If the property is owned in trust, bring the beneficiary of the trust

 Where to Get Help Completing the Online Application: 

Assistance is available from the Vernon Township Assessor’s Office. Also, Chief County Assessment Office 847-377-2050

REVIEW PROPERTY ASSESSMENT

2022 Assessment Notices for Vernon Township are targeted to be mailed late July or early August 2022. It’s important for taxpayers to read and understand this notice. The Vernon Township Assessor's Office is open to the public during normal business hours. We are also available via phone 847-634-4602 and email info@vernonassessor.com

EVALUATING YOUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT 

Before you begin the appeal process, we recommend reviewing your property characteristics IMSLake.org. Contact the Vernon Township Assessor’s office if you find any errors on your property record.

If you have reviewed your assessment and determined an appeal is necessary, you can research properties and populate a grid of comparable sales.

  • After entering your PIN, a page displaying your residence and characteristics will appear.
  • At the bottom of the page, under Comparable Property Information, select how you would like to search for properties.
  • Generate your grid by selecting your comparable properties, use drop down add 1, 2, 3 (you may select up to five per grid) and clicking on View Comparable Report.
  • Once your grid is created, download grid and save it as a PDF on your computer.

You can complete an assessment appeal electronically to the Board of Review using the e-filing system. Remember to attach your evidence and submit before the deadline. 

HOW TO APPEAL YOUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT

File an appeal with the Lake County Board of Appeal on Lake County’s SmartFile E-Filing Portal. When you are at the comparable section of the portal, go to the Attachments tab at the top of the page and upload your previously generated grid as evidence. Do not use the comparable grid in SmartFile as this data does not contain the most current and accurate data.

Should you need assistance with creating an account or with the SmartFile E-filing process, a video tutorial is available click here . You can also call the Chief County Assessment office at 847-377-2050 for further assistance.

The rules of the Lake County Board of Review can be found here.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the assessor to pick up any new property annually which is not on the assessment roll. This includes new homes, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, finished basements, decks, patios, pools, garages, sheds, barns, etc.

We receive copies of building permits from 11 municipalities and also the county for unincorporated areas.

Villages within Vernon Township

Villages wholly or partially located with Vernon Township:

  • Bannockburn
  • Buffalo Grove 
  • Indian Creek
  • Lake Forest
  • Lincolnshire
  • Long Grove
  • Mettawa
  • Mundelein
  • Riverwoods
  • Vernon Hills
  • Wheeling

2021 Real Estate Tax

  • First installment due:  June 7, 2022
  • Second installment due:  September 7, 2022

Other Services Provided by the Office of the Assessor

  • Assists in filing Senior Homestead Exemption - Bring Driver's License in current address and if property is in a trust - bring a copy of the trust to our office. 
  • Assists in filing Senior Freeze on-line  or you can use the Senior Freeze on-line portal Lake County Portal. For assistance using the on-line tool refer to the Senior Assessment Freeze Application Guide for E-Filing.
  • Distributes literature concerning assessments and tax bill processes
  • Provides information requested for Assessment Appeals
  • Monitors and grants Homeowners Exemption for owner occupied residential properties
  • Requests Tax Bill address changes (PDF)
  • Assists in filing Agricultural Valuation
  • Monitor qualifying properties for Home-Improvement Exemptions ($75,000 full market value or $25,000 assessment reduction)
  • Assists in determining tax bill amounts
  • Provides information in how to obtain Names and addresses for properties applying for variances
  • Requests Commercial Building Vacancy Affidavits (PDF)
  • Offers free Notary Public for Vernon Township residents