Now that the second installment of the Cook County tax bills are out, all Residential property owners should check their bills for exemptions. Cook County is notorious for making exemption errors and not applying those to bills. The three most common errors are the Homeowners, Senior, and Senior Freeze exemptions. If you find you are missing an exemption from the 2023 tax bill or years prior, you can fill out an application to have that money refunded to you.
Due to the number of exemption errors year after year, we recommend checking your tax bills for the last four years to verify you are receiving the proper exemptions. Homeowners in Cook County can apply for what’s called a “Certificate of Error” for missing exemptions and go back up to four years to recoup the money you previously paid.
The qualifications for exemptions are simple:
(1) Homeowners Exemption – Must own and occupy the residence.
(2) Senior Exemption – Must own and occupy the residence and be 65 years of age or older.
(3) Senior Freeze Exemption – Must own and occupy the residence, by 65 years of age or older, and have a total household income of less than $65,000 per year. This exemption requires an application every year to show proof of income qualification.
If you have any questions or concerns about exemptions, you can always reach out to your local township assessor, the county assessor, or a property tax professional.
Due to the number of exemption errors year after year, we recommend checking your tax bills for the last four years to verify you are receiving the proper exemptions. Homeowners in Cook County can apply for what’s called a “Certificate of Error” for missing exemptions and go back up to four years to recoup the money you previously paid.
The qualifications for exemptions are simple:
(1) Homeowners Exemption – Must own and occupy the residence.
(2) Senior Exemption – Must own and occupy the residence and be 65 years of age or older.
(3) Senior Freeze Exemption – Must own and occupy the residence, by 65 years of age or older, and have a total household income of less than $65,000 per year. This exemption requires an application every year to show proof of income qualification.
If you have any questions or concerns about exemptions, you can always reach out to your local township assessor, the county assessor, or a property tax professional.