The senior citizens homestead exemption
An additional reduction for owner-occupiers aged 65 or over. Some counties renew it automatically; some do not.
An additional exemption for owner-occupiers aged 65 or over, under 35 ILCS 200/15-170. It is in addition to the general homestead exemption, not instead of it — and treating it as an alternative is one of the ways people end up claiming less than they are entitled to.
What it removes
A further $5,000 of equalised assessed value in most Illinois counties, with Cook County applying a larger figure. At a mid-range rate that is worth roughly $375 a year, on top of the general homestead exemption's $750.
Who qualifies
- You are 65 or over during the tax year — not by 1 January, but at any point in it. This catches people who turn 65 in November and assume they must wait a year.
- You own and occupy the property as your principal residence.
- You are liable for the tax.
There is no income test for this one. That is the assessment freeze, which is a separate programme people frequently confuse with it.
The three senior benefits, which are not the same thing
| Programme | What it does | Income tested? |
|---|---|---|
| Senior homestead exemption | Removes assessed value | No |
| Senior assessment freeze | Locks the assessed value | Yes |
| Senior tax deferral | Postpones payment, as a lien | Yes |
You may be eligible for more than one. The freeze in particular is separately valuable and separately applied for.
Renewal
Some counties renew this automatically once granted; others require an annual affidavit. Assuming yours renews when it does not is a common way to lose it, and the loss shows up as an unexplained increase on a bill.
Check your county's practice, and if there is an annual form, diary it.
The surviving spouse question
Where a qualifying senior dies, a surviving spouse may in some circumstances continue the exemption. This is among the most commonly missed benefits anywhere, because it must be claimed at the worst possible moment and nobody raises it.
If you have lost a spouse who held a senior exemption, ask the assessor's office directly what continues and what must be re-applied for.
What to do
- Confirm the general homestead exemption is on your bill first.
- Apply for the senior exemption if you are 65 or over at any point in the tax year.
- Ask separately about the assessment freeze — different form, income tested, and worth substantially more over time in a rising market.
- Ask whether a missed year can be recovered by certificate of error.
The application, in practice
A short form, filed with the Assessor in Cook County or the Supervisor of Assessments elsewhere, with proof of age and of ownership. Most counties accept it online.
The proof of age is usually a driver's licence, state ID or birth certificate. The proof of occupancy is usually the deed plus something showing you live there — the same evidence the general homestead exemption needs, so if you already hold that, this is a short step.
The year you turn 65
Apply in that year, not the following one. Eligibility runs on reaching 65 at any point during the tax year, so somebody with a December birthday qualifies for the whole of that year. Waiting until you have actually turned 65 to file can mean filing after the county's window and losing a year for no reason.