Cook County property tax bills still haven't been sent. What does it mean for taxpayers?

Cook County (WLS) -- The second installment of Cook County property taxes are usually due by August, but those bills have not even been sent out to taxpayers yet.

The county says the bills will go out by the end of the year... but what does that mean for you?

"I'm still waiting on my bill, today is my first day hearing this," Terencia Caldwell told the I-Team. She said she's budgeting for her property taxes. She and other Cook County residents are still waiting for their second installment bills to arrive. They're already about four months late.

"Where is it? It's not in my hands. It's not in my mailbox. I haven't received it," Cook County resident Carol Stenson told the I-Team.

The county said second installment bills will come before the end of the year. Then, just a few months later, the first installment of 2023 will be due.

This won't impact homeowners who pay taxes as part of their mortgage, but other taxpayers will need to save and juggle their budgets.

So what's going on? The Cook County Assessor's office, which assesses the amounts due, directed the I-Team to Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle's office.

No one there would talk on camera, only saying, "We are working with all the independently elected offices in the property tax system to ensure the tax bills are sent and collected as soon as possible."

The statement added that: "We remain confident that their commitment to a due date of 2022, before the end of the year, will be realized."

The Cook County president's office added that it will continue to support government entities which rely on the money, "so they can fulfill their duties to Cook County residents."

Still, some taxpayers wish they had more of a break between bills.

Stenson said: "It's kind of hard when you only have one salary to live off, you know, it's gonna be hard."

The I-Team asked the Cook County president's office about payment plan options for residents, but officials didn't respond.

However, tax experts say if you can, you should pay the second installment by the end of the year in full, so you can write it off on your 2022 federal tax income taxes and get a bigger refund.