Is Paying your Property Tax Bill a Hardship?

Posted on

Nov 05, 2018

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Senior Citizens having trouble paying real estate taxes can apply for the Senior Citizen Tax Deferral Program. This program allows quali?ed Illinois residents to defer up to $5000 of the property taxes on their personal residence, giving seniors the ?nancial freedom to remain in their own home. Deferred taxes are repaid with low interest when the property is sold or following the taxpayers death.

Qualifications:

Be 65 or older by June 1st, 2018
Annual household income of $55,000 or less
Own and reside on the property for at least 3 years
No delinquent real estate taxes owed on the residence
Property must be insured against fire hazard loss for at least the amount of deferred taxes
Have written approval from spouse if property is held jointly or from the trustee if in a qualifying trust Seniors with reverse mortgages should contact their lender before applying. Those with standard mortgages do not need lender approval to qualify.

Applications for the Senior Citizen Tax Deferral program must be fi led between January 1st and March 1st, 2019. A second program, Cook Countys Senior Property Assessment Freeze, is open to those whose 2017 household income was $65,000 or less. This program freezes the (EAV)
equalized assessed value of their property for the year preceding the year in which they first apply and qualify for this exemption, but not the property tax itself. Seniors who qualify for the first time in 2019 will have their EAV frozen at the 2018 valuation, but can backfile for 3 years to 2016. Please note that the household income limit for 2015 and 2016 is $55,000 or less.

Application requirements:

Be 65 or older in 2018
Total household income for 2017 must be $65,000 or less
Own the property or have a contract or lease showing you are responsible for the property taxes
Property must be applicants principal residence from January 1, 2017 through January 1, 2018

Interested seniors are encouraged to apply as soon as possible so the exemption appears on the 2nd installment of your 2018 property tax bill. Suburban Cook County Seniors living in any town in Palos, Lemont, Orland or Worth Township can call PLOWS Council on Aging, 708.361.0219, and our advocates will assist with these applications. PLOWS, a 501 (c)3 non-profit senior service agency, will not charge for these services.

Editors note: This article was submitted by Christine Suddreth. Christine is a Community Relations Coordinator with PLOWS Council on Aging and can be reached at 708.361.0219 or by email at [email protected].

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