Assessments
The Sangamon County Clerk is also the elected Assessor for Capital Township. Capital Township encompasses most of the property within the City of Springfield. The Capital Township Assessor's Office is responsible for setting fair and accurate values (assessments) for approximately 52,000 parcels of real estate within its jurisdiction. These assessments form the basis for the annual property taxes levied on these properties. Please refer to the FAQ page, or contact the Sangamon County Supervisor of Assessments Office for more information regarding property assessments.
Property Tax Levies and Rate Calculation
The County Clerk is also responsible for calculating the property tax rates for all of the representative taxing agencies (schools, villages, fire protection districts, etc.) that serve all of the property owners of Sangamon County. These rates, along with the taxable assessed value of each property, determine the amount of property taxes billed each year to property owners.
The tax rates are based upon the levies for each taxing agency that are filed annually with the County Clerk's Office. The levies are a legal document that set forth the amount of monies needed by the taxing agencies to effectively operate their budget. The rates that are calculated are determined by the total amount of money levied for by an agency and the total taxable assessed value of that agency, as certified by the Sangamon County Supervior of Assessments Office. This rate calculation process is governed by statutory guidelines that include limits and restrictions on the rates and the amount of revenue each agency may receive. Once the tax rates and the taxable assessed value of each property is determined, the County Treasurer's Office then prepares and mails property tax bills to each property owner.
Delinquent Taxes
If property taxes go unpaid by the property owner, the property taxes owed become delinquent. These delinquent taxes then become available for purchase every year on the last Monday of October, in an auction conducted by the Sangamon County Treasurer at an annual "tax sale", where "tax buyers" can "buy" these unpaid taxes with all of the legal rights and privileges associated with this purchase. Please direct any questions on "tax sale" procedures and delinquent property lists to the Sangamon County Treasurer (217) 753-6800.
If unpaid taxes have been sold, the County Clerk's office can provide you with an "estimate of redemption", detailing the amount necessary to redeem (pay) the delinquent tax amount and to remove the "tax buyer's" interest from the property.
Redemption can only be made by means of cash, certified funds or money order made payable to the Sangamon County Clerk.