Barrington woman receiving thousands in property tax refunds sent out by Cook County Treasurer's Office after year-long delay

CHICAGO (WLS) — The ABC7 I-Team has revealed new developments in their investigation concerning extensive delays, with signs of progress finally emerging.

A woman from the northern suburbs is at last receiving property tax refunds amounting to thousands of dollars after enduring months of unfulfilled promises from Cook County.

This breakthrough comes 18 months after the I-Team initially exposed errors in the square footage calculations performed by the Cook County Assessor’s Office.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Assisting a resident of South Barrington, the I-Team helped demonstrate that the county assessor’s office had inaccurately measured the square footage of her property.

Though the initial report surfaced in October 2024, she has been eagerly awaiting the refund of her property taxes ever since.

Initially, bureaucratic red tape caused significant delays, requiring a subsequent I-Team report to secure her the necessary certificates of error.

Then, just when Sherry Schnell though that she was going to get almost $10,000 in refund checks, there was another delay. The major holdups were due to upgrades to the county’s computer system by the private company, Tyler Technologies.

RELATED | Cook Co. sending out millions in property tax refunds after year-long delay

Tyler blamed delays on missing data from the county and the treasurer’s office, but the treasurer blamed Tyler. Tyler says it is working with the county, and the treasurer is now using AI experts to get refunds out to people like Schnell.

“I’m excited. I am happy, I really am. Finally, it’s a really happy time,” Schnell said. “You know it’s only fair, but I actually didn’t think I would get it, actually… I think you were a great help with you and your team, and I appreciate it.”

Overall, delays from the computer issues have held up property tax refunds since May of 2025. The treasurer says since she started getting checks out in the last several weeks, more than $80 million has been sent out. The remaining delayed refunds, $178 million, should be sent to property owners in the next three to four months.

Others also are getting interest for all the time that money sat waiting.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Thousands of Cook County homeowners waiting on $186M in refunds ahead of property tax bill deadline

Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Hochul silent about women under attack in America's largest city as Dem candidate steers outrage elsewhere

NYC Woman Dies After Jogging Stabbing as Hochul, Mamdani Face Questions on Attacks Against Women

A 28-year-old New York City woman who was stabbed in the neck…
Xavier Becerra refuses to endorse Karen Bass as two appear at same rally

Xavier Becerra Declines to Endorse LA Mayor Karen Bass at Rally

California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra appeared reluctant to endorse Los Angeles Mayor…
2026 House election live results as Democrats and Republicans vie for majority control

2026 House Election Live Results: Democrats, GOP Vie for Control

Ballot-scanning problems were reported Tuesday morning in New York’s Westchester County, which…
NYC Marathon runner Rachel Apa sent heartbreaking final text before dying on race day

NYC Marathon Runner Rachel Apa’s Heartbreaking Final Text Before Death

A 24-year-old runner who died after collapsing roughly two miles from the…
Man, 86, and his dog rescued hundreds of miles off California coast after going silent for 2 months

86-Year-Old Man and Dog Rescued Off California Coast After Two Months Missing

An 86-year-old sailor and his dog were rescued from a disabled sailboat…
UCLA spent $220K on emergency stockpile of drones and ammo

UCLA Spent $220K on Emergency Stockpile of Drones, Ammunition

The UCLA Police Department spent more than $220,000 on drones and less-lethal…
Democrats poised to gain control of House after GOP shellacking

Democrats Poised to Win House Control After GOP Election Rout

WASHINGTON — Republicans appeared on the cusp of losing control of the…
Roundabout Entertainment cuts 81 post-production jobs before New Year

Roundabout Entertainment Cuts 81 Post-Production Jobs Ahead of New Year

Hollywood’s wave of job cuts is continuing, with a popular Los Angeles-area…
Josh Turek speaks during a debate with Ashley Hinson at WHO 13, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Iowa Democrat Josh Turek Elected to U.S. Senate

Democrat Josh Turek won Iowa’s U.S. Senate election Tuesday, defeating Republican Ashley…
Retired NYPD officer arrested after 'off with his head' post over Florida mosque expansion

Retired NYPD Officer Arrested Over Florida Mosque Expansion Threat

A retired NYPD officer living in Florida was arrested Monday after allegedly…
Indiana man arrested for trying to wash child's mouth out with soap after kid cursed at him

Indiana man arrested after allegedly washing child’s mouth with soap for cursing

An Indiana man was arrested after allegedly trying to punish a 7-year-old…
Illegal immigrant accused of violent attempted murder, kidnapping of a minor was released under Biden admin

Biden Released Migrant Accused of Attempted Murder, Child Kidnapping

A 23-year-old man is facing multiple charges after Baltimore investigators accused him…