Northfield Township
Assessor's Department
Northfield Township Assessor
Patricia K. Damisch CIAO
Northfield Township Assessor
Patricia K. Damisch CIAO
Senior Citizen Freeze Exemption
Northfield Township senior citizens who received the Senior Citizen Freeze exemption last year received renewal applications last week, and will have until February 18, 2009 to return them to the Cook County Assessor's office. The applications are for 2008 property taxes, (paid in calendar year 2009) and the savings from the exemptions will appear on tax bills mailed in the fall of 2009. Seniors who did not qualify for the freeze in prior years may qualify this year, as the maximum income for eligibility for the program has increased this year from $50,000 to $55,000.
Eligibility and Application Rules for Senior Exemptions
There are two senior citizen property tax exemptions. The Senior Citizen Exemption is available to all seniors regardless of income. It reduces taxes by several hundred dollars, and is available to any owner-occupied residential property whose owner was born in 1943 or earlier. The Senior Freeze exemption provides seniors with additional tax savings if the combined income of all occupants of a senior's household is less than $55,000, and if the senior has been an owner-occupant of the house since January 1, 2007.
Seniors who received the Senior Exemption last year need not file a renewal application, as the Senior Exemption will be automatically renewed unless the property was sold in 2008. Seniors seeking additional tax savings through the Senior Freeze, however, will have to complete and return the Senior Freeze application.
Information for Seniors not Receiving Mailings
Homeowners who were born in 1943 turned 65 in 2008, and thus should be eligible for one of the senior exemptions for the first time. Taxpayers who recently turned 65 will not receive application forms for the senior renewal forms are mailed. Those residents should call the Northfield Township office to obtain the forms and information necessary to receive the senior benefits.
In addition, seniors who have NOT received the Senior Freeze in prior years will NOT receive Senior Freeze renewal applications in the mail. Anyone who is eligible for the Senior Freeze for the first time should come to the Northfield Township office to obtain the appropriate forms. The forms are also available on-line at www.cookcountyassessor.com.
Helpful Web Sites:
www.cookcountyassessor.com
www.cookcountytreasurer.com
www.cookcountyboardofreview.com
www.ccrd.info
Call the Township Assessor's office (847-724-8300) for more information about qualifying for these programs.