Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios announced that his office has mailed out Senior and Senior Freeze Exemption applications for the 2014 property tax bills. These exemptions will appear as deductions on the 2015 second-installment tax bills mailed this summer. The deadline for the application(s) is February 4th, 2015. The Senior Exemption application is part of a booklet mailed to eligible seniors. To qualify for the Senior Citizen Exemption for the taxable year 2014, the property owner must have:

• Been born prior to or in the year 1949,
• Owned the property, or have a lease or contract which makes them responsible for the real estate taxes, and
• Used the property as a principal place of residence.

To qualify for the Senior Freeze Exemption for the taxable year 2014, taxpayers must have:

• Been born prior to or in the year 1949,
• A total household income of $55,000 or less for income tax year 2013,
• Owned the property or had a legal, equitable or leasehold interest in the property on January 1, 2013 and January 1, 2014,
• Used the property as a principal place of residence as of January 1, 2013 and January 1, 2014, and
• Been liable for the payment of 2013 and 2014 property taxes.

Eligible seniors, who have never applied for the Senior and/or Senior Freeze Exemptions in the past, may visit the Assessor’s Web site at www.cookcountyassessor.com and download an application or contact the Assessor’s Office and request a form be mailed to them.