Exemptions

For More Information On Any Of The Exemptions Listed Below Contact Will County at: (815) 722-5515

Application for General Homestead Exemption For Single Family Dwellings Subject to a Lease

In accordance with:
“Section 15-175 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-175)”

GENERAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION:

Homestead property is entitled to an annual homestead exemption. “Homestead property” under this Section includes residential property that is occupied by its owner or owners as his or their principal dwelling place, or that is a leasehold interest on which a single family residence by a person who has an ownership interest therein or as a lessee, and on which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes.

Where married persons maintain and reside in separate residences qualifying as homestead property, each residence shall receive 50% of the total reduction in equalized assessed valuation provided by this Section.

In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, in the event of a sale of homestead property the homestead exemption shall remain in effect for the remainder of the assessment year of the sale. The assessor or chief county assessment officer may require the new owner of the property to apply for the homestead exemption for the following assessment year.

The maximum reduction shall be $5,000 in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants for 2007, $5,500 for 2008, and $6,000 for 2009 and thereafter.

(Please review the right hand column of your tax bill to see if you are receiving this exemption.)

 HOMESTEAD IMPROVEMENT EXEMPTION:

To receive this exemption, please apply by contacting us.

The Homestead Improvement Exemption is an exemption allowed for new improvements to existing structures on homestead property or the rebuilding of residential structures following a catastrophic event.  The exemption is limited to a maximum of $75,000 per year in fair cash value and continues for four years from the date the improvement or rebuilding is completed and occupied, not the date you file this application.

You may have more than one homestead improvement exemption on the same property.  However, you cannot receive a homestead improvement exemption for any other property in Illinois for the same assessment year and the total exemption cannot be more than $75,000 per year.

Any repair work performed to prolong or maintain the condition of an existing structure does not qualify for this exemption.

The following is a small list of examples of what does qualify for a Homestead Improvement Exemption:

Please remember, this is only a small list of examples.  Contact us for more details and any questions you may have.

In accordance with (35 ILCS 200/15-168)

DISABLED PERSONS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION: (PTAX-343)

An annual $2,000 reduction in the EAV of the property. The property must have been occupied on January 1 of the assessment year by a disabled person who is liable for the payment of property taxes.

Qualify if disabled or become disabled during the assessment year.

Disabled person cannot participate in any “substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment” which will result in the person’s death or that will last for at least 12 continuous months.

In accordance with:
“Section 15-170 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-170)”

SENIOR CITIZENS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION: (PTAX-324)

An annual homestead exemption is granted for property that is occupied as a residence by a person 65 years of age or older who is liable for paying real estate taxes on the property and is an owner of record of the property or has a legal or equitable interest therein as evidence by a written instrument, except for a leasehold interest, other than a leasehold interest of land which a single family residence is located which is occupied as a residence by a person 65 years or older, who has an ownership interest therein, legal, equitable or as a lessee, and or which he or she is liable for the payment of property taxes.

When a homestead exemption has been granted under this Section and the person qualifying subsequently becomes a resident of a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act, the exemption shall continue so long as the residence continues to be occupied by the qualifying person’s spouse if the spouse is 65 years of age or older, or if the residence remains unoccupied but is still owned by the person qualified for the homestead exemption.

A person who will be 65 years of age during the current assessment year shall be eligible to apply for the homestead exemption during that assessment year. Application shall be made during the application period in effect for the county of his residence.

For taxable years 2013 and thereafter, the maximum reduction is $5,000 in all counties.

To file for a Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption you will need:

1. Copy of your recorded deed.
2. Copy of your Birth Certificate, Illinois Drivers License, or Illinois State ID.
3. Copy of current Tax Bill or P.I.N. (Property Index Number)

You may request an application from the Supervisor of Assessments office or by contacting us. If the application is returned in the mail, the application must be notarized and the information requested above must accompany the application.

In accordance with:
“Section 15-172 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-172)”

SENIOR CITIZENS ASSESSMENT FREEZE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION:

As used in this Section:

“Applicant” means an individual who has filed an application under this Section.

“Base amount” means the base year equalized assessed value of the residence plus the first year’s equalized assessed value of any added improvements which increased the assessed value of the residence after the base year.

“Base Year” means the taxable year prior to the taxable year for which the applicant first qualifies and applies for the exemption provided that in the prior taxable year the property was improved with a permanent structure that was occupied as a residence by the applicant who was liable for paying real property taxes on the property and who was either

Beginning in taxable year 1994, a senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption is granted for real property that is improved with a permanent structure that is occupied as a residence by an applicant who

This homestead exemption shall also apply to a leasehold interest in a parcel of property improved with a permanent structure that is a single family residence that is occupied as a residence by a person who

When married persons maintain separate residences, the exemption provided for in this Section may be claimed by only one of such persons and for only one residence.

In counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, beginning with taxable year 1995 and thereafter, to receive the exemption, a person shall submit an application by July 1 of each taxable year to the Chief County Assessment Officer of the county in which the property is located. A county may, by ordinance, establish a date for submission of applications that is different than July 1. The applicant shall submit with the application an affidavit of the applicant’s total household income, age, marital status (and if married the name and address of the applicant’s spouse, if known), and principal dwelling place of members of the household on January 1 of the taxable year. The Department shall establish, by rule, a method for verifying the accuracy of affidavits filed by applicants under this Section. The applications shall be clearly marked as applications for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.

For purposes of this Section, a person who will be 65 years of age during the current taxable year shall be eligible to apply for the homestead exemption during that taxable year. Application shall be made during the application period in effect for the county of his or her residence.

Except as provided in this Section, all information received by the chief county assessment officer or the Department from applications filed under this Section, or from any investigation conducted under the provisions of this Section, shall be confidential, except for official purposes or pursuant to official procedures for collection of any State or local tax or enforcement of any civil or criminal penalty or sanction imposed by this Act or by any statute or ordinance imposing a State or local tax. Any person who divulges any such information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper judicial order, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

In accordance with:
“Section 15-165 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-165)”

DISABLED VETERANS:

Property can receive only one of the disability exemptions per assessment year under Section 15-165 Disabled Veterans’ Homestead Exemption, Section 15-168 Disabled Persons’ Homestead Exemption, or Section 15-169 Disabled Veterans’ Standard Homestead Exemption.

This exemption is established by contacting the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Property up to an assessed value of $100,000, owned and used exclusively by a disabled veteran, or the spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of the veteran, as a home, is exempt. As used in this Section, a disabled veteran means a person who has served in the Armed Forces of the United States and whose disability is of such a nature that the Federal Government has authorized payment for purchase or construction of Specially Adapted Housing as set forth in the United States Code, Title 38, Chapter 21, Section 2101.

This exemption must be reestablished on an annual basis by certification from the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs to the Department, which shall forward a copy of the certification to local assessing officials. (Source: P.A. 91-401, eff. 1-1-00.)

The veteran must have a service-connected disability that is approved by the Federal Department of Veterans’ Affairs to receive a “Specially Adapted Housing Grant” Application for the Specially Adapted Housing Grant is through the U.S. Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs by calling (312) 980-4219 for Northern Region of Illinois (North of Springfield) or (314) 552-9864 for Southern Region of Illinois (includes Springfield and south of Springfield).

In accordance with: “Section 15-169”

DISABLED VETERANS’ STANDARD HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION: (PTAX-342)

Property can receive only one of the disability exemptions per assessment year under Section 15-165 Disabled Veterans’ Homestead Exemption, Section 15-168 Disabled Persons’ Homestead Exemption, or Section 15-169 Disabled Veterans’ Standard Homestead Exemption.

The SHEVD (35 ILCS 200/15-169) provides an annual reduction in the equalized assessed value (EAV) of a primary residence occupied by a veteran with a disability, or the veteran’s surviving spouse, on January 1 of the assessment year. The SHEVD amount depends on the percentage of the service-connected disability as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. If the veteran has a service-connected disability of 30% or more but less than 50%, then the annual exemption is $2,500; if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 50% or more but less than 70%, then the annual exemption is $5,000; and if the veteran has a service-connected disability of 70% or more, then the residential property is exempt from taxation under this Code.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for the SHEVD, the veteran must

• be an Illinois resident who served as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty or state active duty, Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces, and who has an honorable discharge;
• have at least a 30 percent service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs; and
• own and occupy the property as the primary residence on January 1 of the assessment year or lease and occupy a single family residence on January 1 of the assessment year and be liable for the payment of the property taxes to the county.

Note: The property’s total EAV must be less than $250,000 after subtracting any portion used for commercial purposes. “Commercial purposes” include any portion of the property rented for more than 6 months. If you previously received the SHEVD and now reside in a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act or operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, you are still eligible to receive the SHEVD provided your property is occupied by your spouse; or remains unoccupied during the assessment year.

In accordance with:
“Section 10-300 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/10-240)”

VETERANS ORGANIZATION ASSESSMENT FREEZE: (PTAX-763)

For the Taxable year 2000 and thereafter, the assessed value of real property owned and used by a veterans’ organization chartered under federal law, on which is located the principal building for the post, camp, or chapter, must be frozen by the chief county assessment officer at (i) 15% of the 1999 assessed value of the property for property that qualifies for the assessment freeze in taxable year 2000 or (ii) 15% of the assessed value of the property for the taxable year that the property first qualifies for the assessment freeze after taxable year 2000.

The veterans organization must annually submit an application to the chief county assessment officer on or before December 31 of the assessment year in counties with a population of less than 3,000,000.

This Section shall not apply to parcels exempt under Section 15-145 (Source: P.A. 91-635, eff. 8-20-99.)

(35 ILCS 200/15-167)

RETURNING VETERANS’ STANDARD HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION: (PTAX-341)

The veteran files form PTAX-341 each assessment year when they return home to receive the exemption.

The Returning Veterans’ Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-167) provides a $5,000 reduction in the equalized assessed value (EAV) of the veteran’s principal residence for two consecutive assessment (tax) years, the tax year and the following year that the veteran returns from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States. The veteran must own and occupy the property as his or her principal residence on January 1 of each assessment year. A veteran who acquires a principal residence after January 1 of the year he or she returns home is eligible for the RVHE on the principal residence owned and occupied on January 1 of the next tax year.