Cook County Senior Exemption Deadline Nearing

Applications for two property tax exemptions for Cook County senior citizens have been mailed out to property owners who received the exemptions last year. The deadline for re-applying for the exemption is Feb. 6, 2019. The application is required every year, regardless of past eligibility.

The Senior Citizen Exemption entitles eligible property owners to an $8,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value of their property, reducing their tax bills for tax year 2018 by lowering the value of their property that is used to calculate the amount of taxes owed.

Senior Exemption Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Senior Exemption, a Cook County taxpayer must meet the following criteria:

• Been born in or before 1953
• Owned their property during 2018, or had a lease or contract that made them responsible for property taxes in 2018
• Used the property as their principal residence in 2018

Additional savings are available to seniors whose total annual household income was $65,000 or less in the 2017 tax year. These property owners can apply for the Senior Freeze Exemption, which provides an automatic reduction in the equalized assessed value of their property of at least $2,000, in addition to their savings under the Senior Citizen and Homeowner exemptions. Taxpayers who receive the Senior Freeze exemption will automatically receive the Senior Exemption and the standard Homeowner Exemption as well.

Senior Freeze Exemption Eligibility Requirements

The criteria for eligibility for the Senior Freeze Exemption is as follows:

• Born in or before 1953
• Total household income of $65,000 or less for income tax year 2017
• Owned the property or had a legal, equitable or leasehold interest in the property on Jan. 1, 2017 and Jan. 1, 2018
• Used the property as their principal residence as of Jan. 1, 2017 and Jan. 1, 2018
• Responsible for property taxes in 2017 and 2018

Cook County residents applying for either of the senior exemptions for the first time can download an exemption form here, or request an application by mail by calling the Assessor’s Office at 312-443-7550.

While newly elected Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi has pledged to support legislation that would make these exemptions automatic, under current law, taxpayers are required to reapply each year.

The application requires an original signature, along with a copy of a recent tax bill and proof of age and residency, and must be mailed or dropped off at one of the Assessor’s Office locations.

Save Even More With a Review of Your Property Tax Assessment

If you have questions about your eligibility or would like assistance in applying for these or any other property tax exemptions, call us or click on the link below. At Kensington, we have helped tens of thousands of Cook County residents reduce their property taxes. We also offer a free, no-obligation review of your property tax bill that may reveal additional savings by analyzing the specific criteria that went into the valuation of your property.

Get Your Free Property Tax Reduction Estimate