Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi announced April 10 that property-tax-saving exemption applications for the 2022 tax year are now available online. Exemptions are savings that contribute to lowering a homeowner’s property tax bill. The most common is the Homeowner Exemption, saving a property owner an average of $950 dollars each year.
Here are some key things that homeowners should be aware of when applying for exemptions.
The automatic renewals related to COVID-19 have ended. Homeowners need to resume annual filings for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze “Senior Freeze” and Veterans with Disabilities Exemptions. Seniors and Veterans that need to reapply will be mailed application booklets in the mail.
The automatic renewal of the Homeowner, Senior, and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions will continue, and postcards will be mailed to households confirming that no action is needed.
New homeowners, first-time applicants, or those that need to reapply can now do so online by visiting, www.cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions. Homeowners are strongly encouraged to apply online so there is a digital record of their application. Applying online also allows Assessor staff to easily locate the application, provide a status update, and notify if missing documents are needed.
If homeowners are unsure of their existing exemptions, they can check by reviewing their “Property Details” and review the Exemption History & Status section.
Exemption forms are available in Spanish, Polish and simplified Chinese languages. Applications can be downloaded at www.cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions.
As a reminder, exemptions are reflected on the second installment property tax bill.
Homeowners can join virtual workshops on how to file exemptions on Facebook and YouTube at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, n English and on Wednesday, April 19, in Spanish. For a list of upcoming in-person and virtual outreach events visit, www.cookcountyassessor.com/event-list.
To receive news and updates from the Assessor’s Office, sign up here.