ILLINOIS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS
FOR PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS
By Frank X. Heiligenstein, County Board Member
Exemption: General Homestead (SB 1790)
All property owners can receive a maximum exemption of $5,000 for owner-occupied residential property. The amount of this exemption is equal to the increase in the current year’s equalized assessed value over the assessed value of that property for the 1977 tax year. The County Clerk deducts this exemption from each parcel’s equalized valuation before computing the tax rates.
Eligibility: Must own and reside on the property. This exemption also applies to a person who is paying bond for deed for property and who is obligated to pay property taxes.
How to apply: Contact the Assessor’s office, St. Clair County Building by phoning 277-6600 ext. 2508.
Evidence: Need to be able to access your file in the computer. Can do this by telling the Assessor’s office your name or address or parcel number. If you wish to apply, bring your current tax bill with you, when you come to the Assessor’s office.
Deadline: Can file up to the date of the second installment of your property taxbill for that year. You can check your current status with this exemption at any time, i.e. if you aren’t certain you are coded to receive the exemption, you can call the Assessor’s office to find out at any time.
The Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (must be filed every year)
The senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption allows qualified senior citizens to elect to maintain the equalized assessed value (EAV) of their home at the base year value and prevent any increase due to inflation. The base year generally is the year prior to the year you first qualify and apply for the exemption.
The assessment freeze homestead exemption does not freeze the amount of your property tax bill, which could increase if the tax rate increases. Your assessment and tax bill may also increase if you add improvements to your home. However, if the equalized assessed value of your home decreases in the future, you will benefit from any reduction.
NOTE: Taxable year is the year preceding the year in which the property taxes are billed.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for the senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption for the 2005 taxable year, you must:
In addition, on January 1, 2005, you must:
· Have used the property as your principal place of residence,
· Have owned the property, or had a legal or equitable interest in the property by a written instrument, or had a leasehold interest in the property used as a single-family residence, and
· Be liable for the payment of property taxes.
NOTE: If this is the first time you are applying for this exemption, you also must meet the last three eligibility requirements listed above on January 1, 2005.
You do not qualify for this exemption if your property is assessed under the mobile home privilege tax.
If your spouse died in 2005, and would have qualified for the exemption in 2005, and you meet all of the above requirements except the age requirement, you are eligible for this exemption in 2005.
If you previously received this exemption and now reside in a nursing home and if your property is unoccupied, or is occupied by your spouse, you may be eligible if the other requirements are met.
Special Note: These forms will be available locally at the Smithton Village Hall, the Freeburg Township Hall, and Freeburg Banks. Persons living in Belleville may go to the Court House. After completing the forms take them to our local banks or the Smithton Village Hall and I will personally see that it gets to the Assessor’s office.
The County expects these forms no later than December 15th.
Remember that if you have been filing a tax freeze form for a number of years, and you fail to file one during 2005, your tax bill could go up as much as $200 to $2,000! So don’t forget!
All of the above county forms are applicable for the tax year 2005 and the subsequent tax bill paid in the year 2006.
Exemption: Senior Citizen Homestead
All senior citizen property owners can receive a $3,000 reduction in equalized assessed value.
Eligibility: Homeowners who are 65 and older by January 1st, 2006. Also for single family dwellings leased by persons (bonds for deed) that age who pay property taxes. There is no income ceiling for this program.
How to apply: Call us at 539-5771 for information.
Evidence: Bring in proof of age (i.e. birth certificate, driver’s license or Medicare card), a copy of the property deed and the tax bill.
Deadline: This is an ongoing process. You may apply anytime this current tax year.
NOTE: If you were 65 years of age last year, you can apply now!
Exemption: Homestead Improvement
You can receive up to $75,000 of the market value of the home improvement. This exemption can continue up to fur years from completion of the improvement.
Homeowners who have made home improvements that increase the assessed value of the property are eligible.
How to apply: The owner must fill out an application at the Board of Review Office, St. Clair County Building. Also must reapply by filing a form at the Board of Review office annually.
Evidence: Must present copies of all bills incurred from the home improvement process to the Board of Review. This application must then be notarized before it can be accepted by the Board of Review.
Deadline: Everything must be accepted during the Board of Review hearing season, although this process does not require that you have a hearing. The hearing season is usually in the Fall (Oct-Nov).
Exemption: Disabled Veterans Homestead
Eligibility: The Illinois Department of Veteran’s Affairs must determine eligibility for this exemption. You must be 100% service connected with the Veteran’s Administration and 100% disabled. You must have already received the Specially Adapted Housing Grant from the Federal Department of Veteran’s in order to qualify for this exemption. You can receive up to the assessed value of $75,000.
How to apply: Contact the Illinois Department of Veteran’s Affairs by writing
Writing Veteran’s Administration
833 South Spring
P.O. Box 19432
Springfield, IL 63794-9432
Or phoning 1-217-782-3418
Evidence: Must comply with standards set by the Veteran’s Administration (i.e. must have been injured while in service and must have house built to certain specifications of the Veteran’s Administration).
Deadline: None
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Board of Review Office
Chief Deputy Senior Freeze (Inquiries)
277-6600, ext. 2491 277-6600, ext. 2488
Board of Review
277-6600, ext. 2488, 2489 or 2493
County Assessor’s Office
Chief Deputy Mobile Homes Privilege Tax (Inquiries)
277-6600, ext. 2503 or 2505 277-6600, ext. 2514
Commercial Properties (Inquiries) Residential Properties (Inquiries)
277-6600, ext. 2515 277-6600, ext. 2510
Land Valuation Farmland Valuation (Inquiries)
277-6600, ext. 2513 277-6600, ext. 2504 or 2505
REAL ESTATE TAX ASSESSMENT APPEAL PROCESS
By Frank X. Heiligenstein, St. Clair County Board
The property assessment appeals process in Illinois is available to any person liable for taxes. The procedures may sound complicated and the terminology unfamiliar, but with basic information about the process of appealing an unfair assessment, a taxpayer will soon discover that the appeals system is inexpensive and easily accessible. [A taxpayer has 30 days from the date that he or she receives the assessment notice to appeal the assessment which for Freeburg Township will be October 1st.]
Before one can be reasonably sure than an assessment is unfair, three facts should be determined. Two of these are the fair market value of one’s property and its assessed value. The third fact one must know is the prevailing level of assessments in one’s jurisdiction. The fair market value can be described as the price one’s property would sell for if a willing and able buyer offered to purchase the property at current prices. Most residential tax bills disclose a fair cash value. This is the estimate of the market value which serves as a basis for the assessed value placed on the property. Also, a copy of the property record card, showing the assessor’s appraised value, is on file at the county or township office and provides the information needed for an accurate understanding of the primary assessment.* Illinois law requires Supervisors of Assessments and County Assessors in downstate counties to inform persons of the median level of assessment in their township or county. The median level of assessments is the actual level prevailing in an assessment jurisdiction, based on studies comparing assessments to sales prices or appraised values.
If a property tax bill does not disclose fair cash value, a taxpayer may estimate the market value by dividing the assessed value (before the State multiplier and the deduction of homestead exemptions) by the median level of assessments. The result should be close to the market value of the property. If the result is higher than the property’s value, the property is overassessed.
To derive current value for a property which has not recently sold, a professional appraisal may be obtained. An appraiser is able to realistically value a property by comparing it to similar properties which have sold. The cost of a professional appraisal may be well worth the fee.
Taxpayers may prefer to conduct their own research in determining the market value for the properties. They may find several properties which have sold recently and which are similar to their own, then obtain copies of property record cards for their own property as well as for the comparable properties that sold. They may also obtain copies of real estate transfer declarations or other evidence of sales prices for the sales they are using as “comparables.”
If their homes were built recently, they may be able to document the market value by showing actual cost of the structure and the purchase price of their land. The value of any labor the taxpayers supplied should also be added, including contract management; however, be aware that construction costs do not always equal the market value.
* Assessment records maintained in the assessor’s office are public information.
REASONS FOR AN APPEAL
1. The assessor’s market value estimate is higher than actual market value. (This claim can be easily supported if you have recently purchased your property or if a professional appraisal is supplied.)
2. The assessed value is at a higher percentage of market value for your property than the prevailing township, or county median level, as shown in assessment/sales ratio study.
3. The primary assessment of the property is based on inaccurate information such as an incorrect measurement of a lot or building.*
4. The assessment is higher than those of similar neighboring properties.
* In this event, a certificate of error may be issued by the Supervisor of Assessments with the concurrence of the Board of Review even after the tax bill is received; however, the tax bill must be paid under protest.
EVIDENCE NEEDED
To support your claim of an unfair assessment, you will need substantial evidence, some of which may be obtained from the County Assessor’s office, your Township Assessor or the County Supervisor of Assessments; from a professional appraiser; or through your own research. Pertinent evidence for non-farm property should include some or all of the following:
1. A copy of the Real Estate Transfer Declaration, a deed, or a contract for purchase.
2. An appraisal of your property.
3. A list of recent sales of comparable properties (photographs and property record cards should be presented, as well as some evidence of the sale price).
4. A photograph of elements detracting from the value of your property not shown on the property record card and an estimate, in terms of dollars, of their negative effect on the market value.
5. A copy of your property record card.
THE BOARD OF REVIEW
Illinois counties, with the exception of Cook County, have a local appeal body known as the Board of Review. Complaints on assessments must be filed in writing with the Board of Review in the county in which the property is located. In counties with populations less than 150,000, complaints must be filed by August 10th* and in counties with populations 150,000 to 1,000,000, complaints must be filed by September 10th*. The Board of Review publishes rules regarding appeals. Check with the Board of Review or the Supervisor of Assessments for the rules in your county.