Carroll Applauds New Senior Homestead Exemption Pilot Program

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, is applauding a new property tax relief law that helps Cook county seniors save on property taxes by enacting a program that maintains critical tax exemptions.

“Nearly 30,000 seniors in Cook County could have prevented their taxes from artificially rising had their homestead exemptions stayed in place,” said Carroll. “Cook County was the only county in Illinois that neglected to have a safeguard in place for seniors that forced them to apply in person to keep their exemption. This new law streamlines this process significantly by keeping seniors’ exemptions in place.”

Previously, Cook County seniors had to reapply annually for the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption while all other counties can choose to allow seniors to have the exemption automatically applied each year.

Carroll supported House Bill 833, which institutes a 5-year pilot project for Cook County to allow senior citizens to apply for the senior homestead exemption once instead of having to apply for it annually. The law requires the Cook County Assessor to list the number of years remaining before a senior must reapply on assessment notices and includes protections to terminate the exemption when a senior citizen passes away. Additionally, the new law requires the Cook County Assessor to perform at least two audits of all claimed senior exemptions and take action to correct erroneously or fraudulently claimed exemptions.

“By reforming the annual application process, the new policy will help to ensure that senior homeowners are accessing their exemptions and are not overpaying property taxes,” said Carroll. “Illinois seniors living on a fixed income need as much tax relief as possible, and this is a good measure that will help people save hundreds in taxes.”