Senior citizens owed as much as $45M in unclaimed Cook County property tax exemptions

COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- Senior citizens who pay property taxes could be owed money back from Cook County.

As many as 26,000 people in Cook County are owed as much as $45 million in the form of unclaimed property tax exemptions, according to the Cook County Treasurer's office.
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Officials said those who qualify just need to apply for the exemption now that they received last year, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said in a press release Monday. The deadline is August 1, 2019.

This comes out just two weeks after the Treasurer's office said nearly 25,000 homeowners were owed a portion of $24.6 million in refunds. Those refund were a part of the Second-Installment Property Tax Bill for those who showed a $0 balance on bills due on August 1. The refunds are scheduled to be distributed between July 1 and August 23.

RELATED: Cook County property tax bills posted online ahead of mailing, taxes due August 1

The Cook County Treasurer said more than 19,000 people got the Senior Freeze Exemption last year but they have not reapplied.



"It takes a little time to apply, but the exemptions reduce your tax bill by hundreds of dollars," Pappas said.
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To verify tax exemptions going back four years, visit cookcountytreasurer.com and:

Select the purple box labeled "Your Property Tax Overview"

Enter your address or Property Index Number (PIN)

Check the results under "Have You Received Your Exemptions in These Tax Years?"

If you believe you are entitled to an exemption you have not received, select "Apply for a missing exemption."

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Senior citizens who are 65 or older are eligible for the exemptions, but state law requires them to reapply every year.

The Senior Freeze, which prevents increases in the taxable value of a home, is limited to seniors with annual household incomes of $65,000 or less.