Cook County tax bills due Thursday

You can't avoid it, and it's time to do it.

The first installment of the 2011 Cook County property tax bills are due Thursday, March 1, and can be paid in a variety of ways.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recommends paying at cookcountytreasurer.com, but the bills also can be paid at any of the 400 Chicago-area Chase Bank locations, from an account at another 200 participating community banks (see cookcountytreasurer.com for a list), or at the Cook County treasurer's office, 118 N. Clark St., Chicago.

Partial payments are accepted.

Regardless of how you're paying, you'll need to know the Property Index Number located at the top of your tax bill.

Payments must be postmarked by Thursday, and any payments submitted after that face a 1.5 percent penalty per month.

Many property owners have their taxes paid from an escrow account managed by mortgage lenders, but it is the owner's responsibility to ensure that the lender pays on the correct PIN before the due date, Pappas said.

For more information, call (312) 443-5100. Information is available in English, Polish and Spanish.