Frequently Asked Questions

Treasurer

Bobbi Rairden

  • Fax:217-253-2590
  • Address:Mailing Address
    Douglas County Collector
    PO Box 320
    Tuscola, IL 61953

    Overnight Address
    Douglas County Collector
    401 S Center St, Rm 206
    Tuscola, IL 61953
  • Business Hours:Mon - Fri
    8:30 am - 4:30 pm
  1. What is my PIN #/parcel #?
    Your PIN #/parcel # is a 12 digit number that identifies your particular piece of property.
    It appears in the first box titled “Parcel Number” on your payment stub/coupon.
    If you need this number, contact the Chief County Assessment Official at 217/253-3031.
  2. I have not received my tax bill yet. When will I get it?
    Tax bills were mailed on Friday, May 17, 2024. If you have not received your bill by the end of the first week of June, please contact this office at 217/253-4011.
  3. What if I do not receive a tax bill?
    If you do not receive a tax bill, it is your responsibility to contact this office to request a duplicate bill. If you are a new homeowner and the bill was issued in the previous owner’s name, contact this office for a duplicate bill. By law, failure to receive a tax bill, or receiving one late for any reason, will not relieve the taxpayer from paying taxes or late fees.
  4. What if I just purchased the property and didn’t own it last year?
    New homeowners should check their real estate closing documents or with their title company or attorney to see if they owe taxes due this year. Depending on the closing and document recording dates, the tax bill may have been sent to the previous owner. If you find that you do owe taxes, please contact this office for a duplicate bill.
  5. What year is this tax bill for?
    The tax bills that are mailed out in 2024 are for the calendar year 2023. Illinois property taxes are based on the taxable value of your property on January 1 of the previous year.
  6. What if I receive a tax bill for a property I no longer own?
    If you no longer own the property, please forward the bill to the new owner. If that is not possible, please contact this office so that a duplicate bill can be mailed to the new owner.
  7. My mortgage company pays my tax bill, why did I receive a tax bill in the mail?
    We always send the tax bill to the homeowner so they can check their assessment and exemptions and confirm that they are correct. If your mortgage company is to pay your taxes, it is your responsibility to forward the tax bill to them for immediate payment.
  8. When is each installment due?
    The first installment is due on Friday, July 5, 2024 and the second installment is due on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
  9. Can I pay both installments at once?
    Yes, as long as it is done on or before the first installment due date or with late fees included for payments made after the due date.
  10. Do you accept a postmark as being on time?
    Yes, we do. Be sure to mail your payments on or before the due date and be sure the Post Office marks your envelope with the date that you mail your payment. It is strongly recommended that you take your payment envelope inside the Post Office and have them apply a postmark at the counter in your presence.
  11. What are the different ways that I can pay my bill?
    There are several convenient ways to pay your tax bill. They are all listed on the back of your tax bill.

    a. We encourage you to pay at your local participating bank on or before the due date. You must have an original payment stub/coupon to pay at the bank. Banks do NOT accept payments after the second installment due date.

    b. You can mail your payment to us at P.O. Box 320, Tuscola, Illinois 61953 (make checks payable to Douglas County Collector). Please include your payment stub/coupon with your check. See question 10 for postmark information.

    c. You can pay on-line at www.douglascountyil.gov, click on Departments, then Treasurer and follow the link, using a toll-free number (1-877-636-9175) with a credit/debit card and e-check (see Douglas County website for details). All major credit/debit cards and e-checks can be used. All credit/debit/e-check payments require a fee which is neither charged nor collected by the Douglas County Collector. Cut off for e-check is Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Cut-off date for credit/debit cards is Wednesday, October 2,2024.

    d. You can pay at the Douglas County Treasurer’s office in the Courthouse, 401 S. Center, Room 206, Tuscola, Illinois. Office hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
    Monday – Friday, except for holidays. You can also use the drop box located at the Courthouse east entrance. We accept cash, checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks. We do not take credit/debit cards or e-checks in this office. See 11c above for credit card information. Cut-off date for checks, e-checks, and internet banking checks is Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Cut-off date for credit/debit cards will be Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

    e. You can sign up to have your payments taken directly out of your checking or savings account. You must turn in a signed form to the treasurer’s office at least 14 days before the first installment due date. Get the form online at: https://douglascountyil.gov/treasurer/real-estate-tax-information-and-forms or from the treasurer’s office.
  12. What happens if I must pay late?
    Late payment schedules are printed on the payment stub/coupon. Follow these schedules only if paying late. If you follow the late payment schedule, you will still receive any legally required late notices. By law, late interest must be charged on payments received after the due date (unless postmarked on or before the due date) and is assessed at 1.5% per month or any part of a month. Late interest increases every 30 days.
  13. Do you send any reminders?
    Yes, we do. We send a “friendly reminder” shortly after the second due date. We also send press releases to the local media regarding the bills being mailed.
  14. When do you stop taking personal checks and business checks and e-checks?
    Personal and business checks and e-checks will not be accepted within 30 days of the tax sale. Only cash, money orders, cashier’s checks and certified checks accepted. The cut-off will be Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 4:30 PM in this office for personal or business checks or internet banking checks. E-check cut-off is end of banking day Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Postmark no longer applies.
  15. What happens if I cannot pay my taxes? What will happen to my property?
    By law, we are required to notify you two ways if you are unable to pay within a few weeks of the second due date. A delinquent notice is sent to you by certified mail and your name and amount due are to be published in a newspaper near your property. If there are any unpaid taxes at 1:00 PM on Friday, October 25, 2024, we are required by law to hold a Tax Sale. It will be held on Friday, October 25, 2024 at 1:00 PM. At that time, any unpaid taxes will be “sold” to a tax buyer who will pay them for the taxpayer. It is important to note, the property itself is not sold, just the taxes. After the tax sale, you will be liable for the tax amount sold at the tax sale as well as interest at a rate determined the day of the sale. After the Tax Sale on Friday, October 25, 2024, at 1:00 PM, you must contact the County Clerk’s office for the redemption amount. If you do not redeem your taxes within 2 ½ years, the tax buyer has the legal right to petition the court for a deed to the property.
  16. Whom do I contact with questions about my bill?
    Listed on the back of each tax bill is the contact information for the offices of the Chief County Assessment Official, County Collector, and County Clerk. Also listed are the responsibilities each office has for the information on your tax bill. Please call the appropriate office with any questions.
  17. Why does the County charge a convenience fee on credit and debit card transactions?
    The convenience fee is not charged by the County. The fees that are charged to the cardholder are given to the vendor that is processing the payment on behalf of the County. The fee goes towards the credit card processing fees and the costs of capturing the payment as well as providing a secure site for all of this to take place.
  18. How is the convenience fee arrived at? It seems high?
    The County is not involved with setting the convenience fee rate. The convenience fee is negotiated between the County’s credit/debit card processor and the credit/debit card companies. By law, local governments can only accept credit/debit cards if specific issues of due diligence are followed. If we did the bidding ourselves, we would have no leverage since our numbers would be so small. The rate that has been negotiated is not out of line with rates paid by retail outlets and in some cases is more favorable. If the County was required to absorb the credit card fee, we would not be able to offer credit/debit cards as a payment option.