A hike in property taxes can be difficult for anyone, especially older homeowners on a fixed income. However, in Illinois there is a law called the Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption which allows older adults to avoid having their home increase in assessed value due to a reassessment by the county.

Although there are several ways a home can increase in value, such as making home improvements, one of the most common reasons is the county-wide reassessment which is completed every four years (in addition, every year each county can elect to reassess up to three of its townships). The assessment freeze exemption allows the older homeowner to have his or her home remain at the same assessed value if he or she applies for the assessment freeze exemption prior to the quadrennial reassessment of the home by county tax assessors.

The Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption allows the assessed value of the older homeowners to be frozen at the amount of its value when the application is made for this exemption. This is very important for older homeowners who live in areas where property values are likely to go up.

To continue to get the exemption, older homeowners must reapply every year.

Here is information about the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption:

Who is eligible?

Everyone age 65 and older in Illinois (or who turns age 65 in the year they apply), who owns and pays real estate taxes on his or her home, who has a household income less than the eligible amount (use this link to view updated amount), and who applies for this exemption, usually applying with the county supervisor of assessment or at the township office.

What is the deadline for applying?

Older homeowners must apply, or reapply, by July 1^st in order for the exemption to be effective for taxes which are paid the following year, although some counties allowed for an extended deadline such as when the tax bills are actually mailed out.

What if the assessment is being appealed?

If you have never applied for the assessment freeze and if you are currently protesting your home’s reassessed value, you can still apply. The supervisor of assessments is obligated to use the assessed value determined by the local appeals board.

Here is how the exemption and property taxes work together:

1. With the assessment freeze exemption, the value of your home is unaffected by the county-wide reassessment completed every 4 years.
2. However, the state’s multiplier is applied to the frozen assessed value of your property which may cause your tax bill to change.
3. Your taxes may change since the county’s total budget usually changes which affects everyone’s tax bill, its just the value of your home which is frozen.
4. If you become a resident of a nursing home, the assessment freeze exemption can stay in effect as long as your spouse continues to live in the home or, if the home is unoccupied and it is still owned by you.
5. If you should become deceased, the assessment freeze exemption can be retained by your surviving spouse.
6. Without the assessment freeze exemption, the assessed value of your home may change depending on the county’s reassessment which is completed every 4 years.

Remember that you must reapply for the assessment freeze exemption each year. If you don’t reapply, the assessed value of your home could change which would affect the amount of taxes you owe. If your income increases above the allowed amount or if you fail to reapply, the assessment freeze exemption can be reestablished anytime in the future when your income falls below the allowed amount and you reapply for the assessment freeze exemption, although your home’s frozen value is the assessed value at the time when you reapply if your exemption lapses.

Besides applying for the assessment freeze exemption, older homeowners can apply for a Homestead Exemption for Senior Citizens and for a General Homestead Exemption. Homeowners apply only once for these two exemptions.

If you need to find out more about the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, call your county supervisor of assessments or township office in Illinois.

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Check our Resource Guide on Aging to find agencies, by county, which provide other services.

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