Statutory Citation
Who is eligible?
To qualify you must:
- establish age, ownership and residency, by applying for the Senior Homestead Exemption (which requires you to be age 65 by December 31st of the assessment year for which the application is made).
- have a household income of $65,000 or less.
- own and occupy the property on or before January 1st of the application year and prior base year.
- be liable for payment of real estate taxes on the property.
In some cases, the surviving spouse of an eligible senior citizen may qualify.
How do I apply?
Eligible senior taxpayers must complete and sign an application/affidavit. Income from all household members needs to be itemized and totaled. For 2022, pay 2023 tax year eligibility, the senior taxpayer must complete an application showing 2021 household income. You may obtain an application by contacting our office at (630) 407-5858 or you may download the form directly from our 'Forms and Documents' webpage. All information acquired from the application is confidential and may be used only for official purposes. The deadline to file the application is October 1st.
Each year, the Supervisor of Assessments will mail annual renewal applications to those senior taxpayers currently eligible for the assessment freeze.
What benefit does this provide?
The Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption provides seniors with limited income protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property values. It is not a tax freeze or a tax reduction and does not protect against increased taxes due to tax rate increases. Because this exemption provides for a base year frozen assessment, it will potentially provide increased savings each year a senior is eligible. The base assessment used in the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption initially equals the assessed value from the prior year tax calculation. In subsequent years, if the new assessed value is lower than their original base value, the new lower value becomes the new base amount. This is assuming the assessment reduction is not the result of a temporary adjustment because of a physical property change such as a fire or flood adjustment.
If a senior no longer qualifies for the Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, taxes will then be based on the current "non-freeze" property assessment.
For information on a separate program available to lower income seniors see the center section titled "Senior Citizens' Tax Deferral Program".
Neither the Senior Homestead Exemption nor the Tax Freeze Homestead Exemption requires the repayment of tax savings.
The Senior Freeze Exemption does:
- Freeze the taxable assessed value of your property
- Stabilize property taxes in an increasing real estate market
The Senior Freeze Exemption does NOT:
- Freeze your tax bill
- Freeze the tax rate
