The Senior Exemption removes $8,000 of equalized assessed value from the home of an owner aged 65 or older, on top of the Homeowner Exemption's $10,000. There is no income limit, and once granted in Cook County it renews automatically.
Who qualifies
- You turned 65 during the tax year or earlier — born in 1960 or earlier for the 2025 tax year.
- You own the home and it is your principal residence.
- You occupied it on January 1 of the tax year.
Do not confuse it with the Senior Freeze
They are separate, and most seniors who qualify for the Freeze hold both. The Senior Exemption takes a fixed amount off the taxable value, has no income test, and renews itself. The Senior Freeze holds the taxable value at a base year, has an income limit ($65,000 for the 2025 tax year, rising to $75,000 for 2026), and must be applied for every year.
If a past bill went without it
Turning 65 does not apply the exemption for you. Where it was missed, a Certificate of Error can recover tax years 2021 through 2025 as a refund check from the Treasurer.
Exemptions reduce the taxable value. An appeal reduces the assessment itself, and the two are independent — see the deadlines page for your township's window.