Staff Report

Annual Winnebago County real estate property tax bills for the year 2011, payable in 2012, will be received in the mail by homeowners, businesses and farms beginning May 11, 2012. The property tax is divided into two equal installments, with due dates of June 15 and Sept. 7, 2012.

Tax payments can be made at the Winnebago County Treasurer’s Office, by mail or online at the County Treasurer’s website, www.winnebagotreasurer.com ^[1]. Payments can also be made at many local banks and credit unions after the bill has been received.

There are two options for payment at the online website: E-check, where tax payments are automatically withdrawn from your checking account. This is a free service provided by Harris Bank, and you do not have to have an account with Harris to use it. Illinois E-Pay, offered by the State of Illinois, accepts credit card payments using MasterCard, American Express and Didsover and credit or debit using VISA. There is a $3.95 convenience fee for using VISA debit, and a convenience fee using a sliding scale based upon the amount of taxes being charged for crdit. Payment through E-Pay can also be made by calling 1-877-690-3729, and enter four digit code – 4070 – for Winnebago County. Please note: This is a new toll-free number this year. The convenience fee is charged through the E-Pay Program; it is not charged or collected by the Winnebago County Treasurer’s Office. Discover Card is the only credit card accepted when paying in person at the Treasurer’s Office. There is also a convenience fee for use of this card for payment in this office. Payments can also be made at many local banks and credit unions after the bill has been received. Tax payment stubs or computer-generated copy of your bill will be required with payments made at banks.

Any property owner who does not receive a tax bill by June 1, 2012, should call the Treasurer’s Office at (815) 329-4400 and ask for a duplicate bill or log onto the Treasurer’s website at www.winnebagotreasurer.com ^[1] to print a copy. If you have a new address and do not receive a tax bill, and you have not changed your mailing address at the Treasurer’s Office, call (815) 319-4400 to make arrangements to have a form mailed to you, or go to the above website and print out a change form. Changing your address at the post office will NOT change your mailing address for tax bills. Failure to receive the tax bill does not void the tax or prevent the addition of penalties and costs if they become delinquent. The penalty for late payment is 1.5 percent per month.

Taxpayers can receive automatic e-mail reminders about property tax bills and tax sales. Reminders will be sent approximately one week before both first and second installment due dates and again before the tax sale. Taxpayers must register for this service through the Winnebago County Treasurer’s website at www.winnebagotreasurer.com ^[1].

From the May 16-22, 2012