How to Save Money
There are 3 main ways to save money on your property tax bill.
Exemptions
Assessor Appeal
Board of Review Appeal
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Exemptions are savings that are applied only on the second bill of every year.
The form for all the exemptions can be found here on the Cook County Assessor’s website.
If you realize you qualified for an exemption but did not receive it you can retroactively apply for it going back up to 3 years by applying for a Certificate of Error.
Homeowner’s Exemption:
This is the most common exemption. As long as you live in the house that you own, you qualify for this exemption.
Documents Required:- Property tax bill
- Proof of identity and occupancy in the tax year (i.e. state ID & mailed landline, cable, or internet bill)
Senior Exemption:
Most homeowners are eligible for this exemption if they meet the requirements for the Homeowner’s Exemption (see above) and were 65 years of age or older during the year listed on their property bill. Once this exemption is applied, the Assessor’s Office auto-renews it for you each year. The form is found here.
Documents Required:- Property tax bill
- Proof of age, identity, and occupancy in the tax year
Low-income Senior Freeze Exemption:
A Senior Freeze Exemption provides property tax savings by freezing the equalized assessed value of an eligible property. 1) For homeowners to be eligible, they must be a senior. 2) To qualify the total household annual income must be $65,000 or less in the calendar year prior to the year of the tax bill or they qualify for specific programs listed below. Those who qualify and receive this exemption should be aware that this does not automatically freeze the amount of their tax bill. This exemption requires annual renewal. The form is found here.
Documents Required:- Property tax bill or property pin number
- Proof of age, identity, and occupancy in 2023
- Total income of the residents of the household (income tax form is best)
- Or proof of your enrollment in at least 1 of the following programs:
- Aid to the Aged Blind or Disabled (AABD) program
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- The benefit access program
- Senior citizen real estate tax deferral program
Disability Exemptions:
If an owner of the property lives on the property and is disabled they also qualify for an additional exemption. This exemption automatically renews yearly. The form can be found here.
Documents Required:- Property tax bill or property pin number
- Proof of age, identity, and occupancy in 2023
- Proof of disability such as:
- Class 2 or 2A Illinois Disabled Person ID Card
- SSA Disability Benefits (award letter, verification letter, annual COLA letter)
- VA disability benefits (award or certification letter)
- Non-military disability pension
- Railroad or Civil Service Disability (100% disability letter)
- If none of the above, submit Form PTAX 343-A, Physician's Statement for Proof of Disability
Appeals are intended to correct the accuracy of your property value. There is an appeal window of 30 days each year for each township. You can find which township you are in here. The announcement of when townships are officially open is posted here.
During that window, you can file an appeal in many ways:
- With the Assessor's office
- With the District office
- On your own
- With a private attorney
Required items:
- An I.D.
- Your Property Tax Bill or Property Pin Number
- Any supporting documentation
- Ideally, an email account to register
- Get PIN number
- Book an appointment with the Assessor's office
- Appeal online with the Assessor
- Deep guide by the Assessor's office
Questions? Call our office at 312-603-6386.
Appeals are intended to correct the accuracy of your property value. There is an appeal window of 30 days for each township, and you can find which township you are in here. The announcement of when townships are officially open and the online application is posted here.
During that window, you can file an appeal in many ways:
- With the Board of Review Analyst
- With our District office
- On your own
- With a private attorney
Required items:
- An I.D.
- Property Pin Number or your Property Tax Bill
- Any supporting documentation you wish to add
- Ideally, an email account to register
