The office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas today began mailing applications for $41.8 million in refunds to nearly 30,000 homeowners whose property taxes were overpaid or double-paid in 2002.

The average refund is $1,395.23. The applications should arrive within four days and will need six to nine weeks to process after being returned, Pappas said.

Meanwhile, taxpayers can check for refunds by going to www.cookcountytreasurer.com, clicking on "Duplicate and Overpayment" and entering their Property Index Number (PIN), which is found at the top of a property-tax bill or on the deed of their home or other property.

The web site will report any refund, and taxpayers can download a refund application from the web site and return it to the Treasurer's Office before the mailed applications arrive

Pappas said homeowners, many refinancing properties, overpay taxes by making checks out for too much. Double payments occur when an owner pays twice, two or more persons -- sometimes spouses or other family members -- pay the same bill, or the owner and a mortgage company do so.

Pappas said 29,972 taxpayers due $41,817,726.22 will receive applications for tax year 2001, collected in 2002. The applications should be returned with proof of payment such as:

• A copy of the front of a canceled personal check.
• A copy of the receipt or front of a cashier's check or money order.
• A copy of the teller receipt, if paid by cash.
• A bank statement showing funds transferred to the Treasurer's office, if paid on-line.
• A statement from the mortgage firm, bank or title company showing the PIN, taxpayer's name and address, and amount and date of payment, if paid by escrow.

"We must verify the application with the proof of payment because some people try to obtain other people's refunds fraudulently," Pappas said.

Pappas' office collects more than $8 billion yearly in property taxes and briefly invests it before distributing it to 1,600 taxing agencies across Cook County.