Cook County tax bills are due March 2nd
by Michael H. Wasserman
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| Cook County tax bills are due March 2nd |
We are talking here are 2020 property tax bills that we will all need to pay this year, in 2021. Exemption eligibility is determined as of January 1st, 2020. If you closed on property last year, you can certainly check the former owner’s status and ride on his or her coat-tails. You will not be eligible to claim exemptions you may qualify for yourself.
Check out all the property-tax exemptions currently available for Cook County homeowners. Scroll below to find links and generally helpful tips and information.
- Homeowner Exemption
- Senior Citizen Exemption
- Senior Freeze Exemption
- Longtime Homeowner Exemption
- Home Improvement Exemption
- Returning Veterans Exemption
- Disabled Veterans Homeowner Exemption
- Disabled Persons Homeowner Exemption
If you know you are
eligible for one of these, click on over to the Cook County Assessor's
exemption page to apply. If you'd like to learn a little more first...read on,
my friends.
Did you miss any exemptions for previous years? No worries! File Certificates of Error to claim refunds going back four years. (We can probably help with this if you contact the office).
Cook County has waived all late fees for two months on all 2020 property taxes. Taxpayers can pay March 2nd, 2021, without a late fee through May 3, 2021 (normally 1.5% per month). Late fees will also be waived for two months for the Second Installment, later this year.
Homeowner Exemption:
You are eligible if:
- You or the previous owner used the property as a principal residence
- You were responsible for the real estate taxes.
>> Click here to print out the application for Homeowner Exemption
Tip 1: This exemption renews automatically.
Tip 2: Unless you transferred ownership or re-titled the property. If so, you need to re-apply.
Tip 3: If you’ve never received this exemption before, you’ll need to apply for it.
Tip 5: Tenants responsible to pay property taxes as a part of their lease agreements are eligible for the exemption.
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Senior Citizen Exemption
You are eligible if you:
- Were born on or before December 31, 1955.
- Use the home as your primary residence or are responsible for tax payments.
>> Click here to print out the application for Senior Freeze Exemption.
Tip 1: This exemption renews automatically.
Tip 2: This exemption only applies to that portion of the year that a senior actually lived in the home. If the senior sold mid-year, the exemption is supposed to be pro-rated.
Tip 3: This exemption is available to the (eligible) surviving senior even if the property is owned in the name a deceased spouse.
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Senior Freeze Exemption
The Senior Freeze further reduces property taxes by “locking in” a property’s “equalized assessed valuation” to mitigate against tax bills that increase due to neighborhood price appreciation. The intent here is to help our elderly afford to stay in their homes when neighborhood values are rising.
You are eligible if you:
- Were born in 1955 or earlier
- Had a total household income of $65,000 or less in 2019.
- Owned and used the property as your principle residence on January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020.
- Were responsible for the payment of 2019 and 2020 property taxes.
>> Click here to print out the application for Senior Freeze Exemption
Tip 1: This exemption will renew automatically for 2020 ONLY.
Tip 2: There are several other programs available to help seniors manage the burdens of property taxes, including tax deferral programs. Contact the County Assessor for more info.
Longtime Homeowner Exemption
You are eligible if
you:
- Owned and occupied your residence for all of 2020.
- Had a total household income of $100,000 or less.
- Experienced an assessment increase for your property that was significant enough to exceed the maximum amounts set by state law.
The assessor sends
applications to all properties that qualify for this exemption. Call the Cook
County Assessor’s office at 312-443-7550 if you didn’t get an application and
think you are eligible.
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Home Improvement Exemption
Did you do any major home improvements this year? You can lock your property taxes for at least four years if you made up to $75,000 worth of qualifying improvements (that you pulled permits for).
Qualifying
improvements are generally structural in nature, as opposed to normal/routine
maintenance or repairs of “normal” weather damage.
If you think you qualify for the Home Improvement Exemption and didn’t get an application, call the Cook County Assessor's Office at 312-443-7550.
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Returning Veterans Exemption
Veterans returning from active duty in armed conflict are eligible to receive a $5,000 reduction for each taxable year in which they return.
You qualify for this
exemption if you:
- Are an Illinois resident who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, Illinois National Guard or U.S. Reserve Forces.
- Returned from active duty in an armed conflict involving our armed forces. Owned or used the property as your principal residence on January 1, 2020.
- Are responsible for payment of the property taxes.
>> Click here
to print out the application for Returning Veterans Exemption
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Disabled Veterans Homeowner Exemption
This one is a little complicated. Veterans with a service-connected disability are eligible for tax reductions, based on the percentage of disability as certified by the VA.
This exemption reduces the Equalized Assessed Value (not the amount of the taxes) of a disabled veteran’s primary residence by $2,500 or $5,000, which should lower the tax bill. If the disability is 70% or more, the veteran is allowed a (well deserved) total exemption.
This chart from the assessor’s site should help:
| Percentage of Disability | Exemption amount (EAV reduction) |
|---|---|
| 30-49% | $2,500 |
| 50-69% | $5,000 |
| 70% and greater | $250,000 |
>> Click here to print out the application for Disabled Veterans Homeowner Exemption
Tip: This exemption will renew automatically for 2020 ONLY.
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Disabled Persons Homeowner Exemption
You qualify for this
exemption if you:
- Are disabled or became disabled during the tax year (2020)
- Owned or leased the property; occupied it as a principal residence on January 1, 2020.
- Are responsible for tax payments.
Tip: A disabled
person may still qualify for this exemption even if they now reside in a
facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act, provided they (a) qualified
previously and (b) the property is still occupied by your spouse, or the
property remains unoccupied.
>> Click here to apply for the Disabled Persons Homeowner Exemption
Tip: This exemption will renew automatically for 2020 ONLY.
We hope this information is helpful. To learn more about exemptions, find your PIN, and apply, click over to the Cook County Assessor’s website. Or call them at 312-443-7550 they can help you determine which exemption(s) will get you the most savings.
Is there an exemption you qualified for but didn’t claim? If you were eligible for exemptions in years past—but did not claim them—contact us. We may be able to help you file Certificates of Error to recoup the money you deserve.
Additional links: