How to save money

There are 3 main ways to save money on your property tax bill. (each bullet links to a new page)

  • Exemptions
  • Assessor Appeal
  • Board of Review Appeal
  1. Exemptions

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 Assessors 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 (i.e. state ID & mailed landline, cable, or internet bill)

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.

  • Property tax bill or property pin number
  • Proof of age, identity, and occupancy in 2023 (i.e. state ID & mailed landline, cable, or internet bill)
  • 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. 

  • Property tax bill or property pin number
  • Proof of age, identity, and occupancy in 2023 (i.e. state ID & mailed landline, cable, or internet bill)
  • Proof of disability such as
    • Class 2 or 2A Illinois Disabled Person ID Card from the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. 
    • The SSA Disability Benefits includes an award letter, verification letter, and annual COLA letter. 
    • The Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits include an award letter or certification letter.
    • A pension for non-military service-connected disability. 
    • A Railroad or Civil Service Disability benefits which includes an award letter or verification letter of total (100%) disability. 
    • If you are unable to provide proof of your disability listed on the items above, you must submit Form PTAX 343-A, Physician’s Statement for Proof of Disability, completed
  1. Assessors’ Appeal Process

Appeals are intended to correct the accuracy of your property value by lowering your property assessed value you end up paying less in property taxes. 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 such as with the Assessor’s office, with our District office, on your own, or with a private attorney. The online appeal process is generally fairly straightforward, all you need is an I.D., your Property Tax Bill or Property Pin Number, any supporting documentation you wish to add, and ideally an email account to register. 

  1. Get pin number  here
  2. Book an appointment with the Assessor’s office
  3. appeal online with the assessor
  4. Deep guide by the assessor’s office here

The online appeal process is generally fairly straightforward, all you need is 

  1. An I.D. 
  2. Your Property Tax Bill or Property Pin Number
  3. Any supporting documentation you wish to add
  4. Ideally, an email account to register

If you have questions about this process, please reach out to our office at 312-603-6386.

Board of Review Appeal Process

Appeals are intended to correct the accuracy of your property value by lowering your property value, so that you end up paying less in property taxes. 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, such as with the Board of Review Analyst, with our District office, on your own, or with a private attorney. The online or paper appeal process is generally fairly straightforward, all you need is an I.D., your Property Tax Bill or Property Pin Number, any supporting documentation you wish to add, and ideally an email account to register

The online or paper appeal process is generally fairly straightforward, all you need is 

  • An I.D. 
  • Property Pin Number or your Property Tax Bill
  • Any supporting documentation you wish to add
  • Ideally, an email account to register