Assessor Kaegi Reminds Seniors to Apply for Property Tax Savings

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi reminds all senior homeowners in Cook County to apply for their property tax-saving exemptions before the April 21 deadline. 

Exemptions entitle homeowners to savings on their property tax bill. The most common is the Homeowner Exemption, which can reduce bills by hundreds of dollars. 

Seniors are eligible for two main exemptions: 

Senior Exemption: This exemption is available to all seniors 65 years of age or older who occupy their property as their principal place of residence. This exemption automatically renews every year. 

“Senior Freeze” Exemption: This exemption is available to all seniors that receive the Senior Exemption and had an annual household income of $65,000 or less in 2023. Homeowners must reapply for this exemption every year.  

The Cook County Assessor’s Office has mailed out application booklets to all homeowners that received the “Senior Freeze” last year. 

Homeowners can also apply online for their exemptions at www.cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions. Homeowners are strongly encouraged to apply online so there is a digital record of their application. This allows Assessor staff to easily locate the application, provide a status update, and notify the homeowner if missing documents are needed.

This year, anyone reapplying online for the “Senior Freeze” Exemption will have access to a streamlined application form, reducing the time it takes to apply. 

If homeowners are unsure of their existing exemptions, they can review the “Exemptions History & Status” section of the “Property Details” page for their home. 

Exemptions forms are available in Spanish, Polish, and simplified Chinese languages. 

Applications can be downloaded at www.cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions.

As a reminder, exemptions are only reflected on the second installment tax bill.

For a list of upcoming in-person and virtual outreach events, visit www.cookcountyassessor.com/event-list. 

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