Tax Relief and Incentive Programs:

• General Homestead Exemption
• Home Improvement Exemption
• Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption
• Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption
  
• Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program 
• Disabled Veterans' Exemption
• Returning Veterans' Exemption
• Disabled Veteran's Standard Homestead Exemption
• Disabled Persons' Homestead Exemption
• Non-homestead Exemptions for Religious, Charitable, or Educational Organizations

General Homestead Exemption (GHE)
This annual exemption is available for residential property that is occupied as the principal dwelling splace by the owner or a lessee with an equitable interest in the property and an obligation to pay the property taxes on the leased property the amount of exemption is the increase in the current year's equalized assessed value (EAV), above the 1977 EAV, up to a maximum of $5,500 for 2008 and $6,000 for 2009.

How Do I Qualify For This Exemption?

• You must be owner of record or have equitable interest of the parcel on January 1 of the assessment year.
• You must reside there on January 1 of the assessment year.
• You should only have to apply one time, as long as ownership/residency remain the same.

Example of Assessment:

With Exemption:
Equalized Assessed Value $ 55,000
General Homestead Exemption $ 6,000
Total taxable assessed value $49,000
Estimated Tax Rate 7.0
Estimated Tax Due $ 3,430

Without Exemption:
Equalized Assessed Value $ 55,000
Estimated Tax Rate 7.0
Estimated Tax Due $ 3,850

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Home Improvement Exemption (HIE)
This exemption is limited to the fair cash value that was added to the homestead property by any new improvement, up to an annual maximum of $75,000. The exemption continues for four years from the date the improvement is completed and occupied.

How Do I Qualify For This Exemption?

You do not need to fill out an application. Your Township Assessor will certify the improvement for exemption to our office.

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Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption
Persons 65 years of age or older who own a home. or have a legal or equitable interest in the home by a written instrument, or have a leasehold interest in the single-family residence, live in the home, and are liable for the payment of property taxes are eligible to apply for a "homestead exemption" which reduces the equalized assessed value of their home by $4,000 in 2008.

How Do I Qualify For This Exemption?

• You must fill out an application.
• You must be sixty – five years of age, or older within the assessment year
• You must reside there on January 1, of the assessment year.

After initial application is approved, you must return a renewal form each year. These forms are mailed out every year by this office.

Example of Assessment:

With Exemption:
Equalized Assessed Value $ 55,000
General Homestead Exemption $ 6,000
Senior Citizen Exemption $ 4,000
Total taxable assessed value $45,000
Estimated Tax Rate 7.0
Estimated Taxes Due $ 3,150

Without Exemption:
Equalized Assessed Value $ 55,000
Estimated Tax Rate 7.0
Estimated Taxes Due $ 3,850

Those who qualify for a Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption in accordance with Section 15-170 of the Property Taz Code (35 ILCS 200/15-170) may also qualify for the real estate tax deferral under the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act (320 ILCS 30/1 et seq.)
For Further information or an application, contact the Kendall County Treasurer at (630) 553-4124.

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Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption
The senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption allows qualified senior citizens to elect to maintain the equalized assessed value 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 the senior citizen first qualifies and applies 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.

The assessment and tax bill may also increase if improvements are added to the home. However, if the equalized assessed value of the home decreases in the future, the senior citizen would benefit from any reduction.

How Do I Qualify For This Exemption?

To qualify for the senior citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption, you must be 65 years of age or older during the taxable year, and have a total household income of no more than $55,000 for 2008. In addition, you must have used the property as your principal place of residence for the previous year and the current year. Also, you must 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 single-family residence as of January 1 of the previous and the current year, and you must be liable for the payment of property taxes on the property. This exemption must be renewed yearly.

You must submit your application every year. After the first year you are approved, you will be sent the application automatically in the spring.

You must have the application in on or before September 1 of each year .

Example of Assessment with General Homestead, Senior Homestead , and Senior Assessment Freeze Exemptions.

BASE ASSESSMENT
Equalized Assessed Value $ 55,000
Base Assessment $ 25,000
Assessment Amount $ 25,000

With Exemption:
Equalized Assessed Value $ 55,000
General Homestead Exempt $ 6,000
Senior Citizen Exemption $4,000
Senior Freeze Amount $ 30,000
Estimated Tax Rate 7.0
Estimated Taxes Due $ 1,050

Without Exemption:
Equalized Assessed Value $ 55,000
Estimated Tax Rate 7.0
Estimated Taxes Due $ 3,850

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Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program
What Does This Exemption Do? This program allows qualified senior citizens to defer part or all of the property taxes on their personal residence. It's a form of a loan with a six percent interest rate which is to be repaid after the taxpayer's death or at the time the property is sold. How Do I Apply For This Program? Application and information for this program must be obtained at the Kendall County Treasurer Office, 111 W. Fox Street , Yorkville , IL . 60560, after January 1 of each year, and must be filed with their office by March 1 of each year.

Disabled Veterans' Exemption
This exemption may be up to $70,000 of the assessed value for certain types of housing owned and used by a disabled veteran or his or her unmarried surviving spouse. The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs determines the eligibility for this exemption, which must be reestablished annually.

Returning Veterans' Homestead Exemption New for 2007 (property taxes paid in 2008) Returning Veterans' Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-167) provides a one-time $5,000 reduction in a property's equalized assessed value (EAV) to qualifying veterans who return from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States. to receive this exemption, the veteran must file an application upon their return home.

Click here for Printable Application (pdf)

Disable Veterans' Standard Homestead Exemption New 2007 (property taxes paid 2008)Disabled Veterans' Standard Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-169) provides a reduction in a property's EAV to qualifying property owned by a veteran with a service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs. A $2,500 homestead exemption is available to a veteran with a service-connected disability of at least 50% but less that 75% or a $5,000 homestead exemption is available to a veteran with a service-connected disability of at least 75%. A disabled veteran must file an annual application by the county's due date to continue to receive this exemption

Click here for Printable Application (pdf)

Disabled Persons' Homestead Exemption New 2007 (property taxes paid in 2008)
Disabled Persons' Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-168) provides a $2,000 reduction in a property's EAV to a qualifying property owned by a disable person. A disabled Person must file an annual application by the county's due date to continue to receive this exemption.

Click here for Printable Application (pdf)

Non-homestead Exemptions for Religious, Charitable, or Educational Organizations Properties of religious, charitable, and educational organizations, as well as units of federal, state and local governments, are eligible for exemption from property taxes to the extent provided by law. The organization must apply for exemption to the county board of review which reviews the application and forwards it to the Department of Revenue for the final administrative decision.

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