Get unstuck fast.
Most people need the same first answer: should I appeal, what could I save, and what do I do next? Start with the free lookup, then use this page when a detail gets confusing.
Start with the free odds check. If the property qualifies, choose low-upfront flat-fee pricing or the fixed $149 no-risk Success Plan when eligible. Concierge is optional and separate.
Where do I find my PIN or Property Index Number? v
Your PIN is the 14-digit Property Index Number for the parcel. You can usually find it on your Cook County property tax bill, the Cook County property tax portal, or the Assessor property record. If you do not know it yet, start with Censum's address lookup.
Before buying, match the result to the correct address, unit, and official tax-bill PIN. If multiple PINs appear, do not guess. Condos, 2-flats, garages, parking spaces, and multi-unit buildings can have more than one PIN.
What property tax documents should I get? v
You do not need documents just to run the free lookup. For a stronger packet or support review, helpful items can include: the latest Cook County tax bill, reassessment or Assessor notice, closing statement, appraisal, condition photos, repair estimates, permits, inspection notes, and any CCAO or BOR notice, receipt, complaint number, or confirmation screen.
Do not upload passwords, county login details, SSNs, full card data, unrelated tax returns, bank statements, or unrelated medical records. Redact account numbers, barcodes, QR codes, and private pages that do not help explain the property.
Is Censum about my tax bill or my assessed value? v
Censum is mainly about assessed value appeal evidence. Your tax bill can rise or fall because of assessed value, exemptions, tax rates, equalization, local levies, and escrow/payment issues. If your bill is the problem, separate the question: is the assessed value too high, is an exemption missing, or is this payment/rate math?
My address has multiple PINs. Which one do I use? v
Run the lookup for each candidate PIN and match each one to the official tax bill or property record. A paid packet is tied to one PIN/property, so one packet usually should not be assumed to cover a condo plus parking PIN, a 2-flat with multiple PINs, or a main parcel plus a garage PIN. Ask support before buying if the official record does not line up.
What is the basic Censum process? v
Start with the free lookup. If the signal looks worth deeper review, buy the tier Censum shows for that property. Review the packet, add useful evidence, then use the correct official county stage. CCAO is the Assessor-stage lane. BOR is the Board of Review lane. They are separate windows and should not be treated as one combined filing.
What is the difference between CCAO and BOR? v
CCAO is the Cook County Assessor-stage appeal lane. BOR is the Board of Review, a separate review lane with its own window, portal, confirmation, and rules. Do not submit both just because two browser tabs are open. Use the stage that is actually open for your PIN and save confirmation numbers or receipts.
Will I lose by filing an appeal? v
At the Cook County Board of Review, an appeal can lower your assessed value or leave it unchanged. It should not raise it. The usual worst case is a no-change decision, not an increase. This answer is specific to Cook County BOR; other jurisdictions can have different rules.
How is this different from savings-based appeal services? v
Some appeal services charge a savings-based fee when an appeal succeeds. Censum starts with a free odds check, then offers either low upfront flat-fee pricing or the fixed $149 no-risk Success Plan when eligible. Concierge is optional and separate.
Censum is built around local county records, modeled appeal signals, comparable evidence, and a packet you can review before deciding how to file. Coverage varies by county: some live counties have instant lookup depth, while others route through review, intake, or packet-only workflows. See the full comparison.
What if the appeal does not win? v
There is no guaranteed reduction. If you choose the low-upfront packet path, paid packet tiers include a next-year credit path if the Board of Review grants no reduction and the appeal was filed on time, subject to the published policy. Long-Shot is not a paid packet tier, so it does not include that credit.
If you choose the no-risk Success Plan instead, there is no upfront packet fee and no next-year credit. Censum charges a flat $149 only after a verified qualifying reduction, plus any selected optional add-ons.
Packet and Long-Shot fees are final once the digital product is delivered or made available, because the analysis can be read, copied, and used. Billing errors, duplicate charges, failed delivery, or wrong-product routing should be sent to support for correction.
Is this legal? Are you a law firm? v
Censum LLC is a data and analytics company, not a law firm and not a tax advisor. Cook County allows homeowners to file their own appeal. Censum helps organize the evidence and workflow.
Concierge can support the Assessor-stage CCAO workflow after the official authorization form and filing checks are complete. BOR remains separate and is customer-controlled or attorney-controlled by default.
Can I trust the yes/maybe/no answer? v
The result is decision support, not an outcome promise. Censum uses public records, appeal history, and suppression checks to decide whether the case looks like yes, maybe, or probably no. The methodology page explains the deeper model logic.
What is Long-Shot? v
Long-Shot is a $19 snapshot when the free check says a full packet probably is not worth it. It checks assessment-history and prior-year red flags, but it is not a full appeal packet, does not include Concierge, and does not include the next-year no-reduction credit.
When does my appeal window open? v
Cook County appeal windows are township and stage specific. CCAO and BOR windows are separate. Look up your PIN to see Censum's local context, then confirm the official Assessor or Board of Review calendar before filing. If a deadline is within 48 hours, use urgent support.
I own a condo. Do you cover condos? v
Cook County condos are in calibration. If a condo PIN shows Coverage Expanding instead of a full grade, that is intentional. Condo scoring uses a different feature set than single-family. If there are multiple PINs for a condo and parking space, match the correct unit PIN before buying.
Do you share or sell my data? v
No. Censum operates on public county data and uses customer information to deliver the packet, support purchases, prevent fraud, and operate the service. We do not sell address search history or uploaded customer documents.
What if my PIN is not in your database? v
If your PIN or address does not return the expected result, it may be a commercial, industrial, vacant, parking, garage, condo, or multi-unit mismatch, or there may be a data-entry issue. Send support the PIN as printed, the address/unit, and where you found it before purchasing.
Texas, Ohio, or other states? v
Censum is live today in twenty Illinois counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kendall, Kankakee, Peoria, St. Clair, Champaign, Vermilion, Kane, McHenry, McLean, Winnebago, DeKalb, Boone, Woodford, LaSalle, Rock Island, and Madison. Other states and counties still have different appeal mechanics, data, deadlines, and authorization rules, so Censum opens each market county by county.
Use the support chat or email support@censum.tax. Include your PIN only if this is about an active property or purchase.