Are you getting every Cook County exemption you qualify for?
Exemptions are the guaranteed part of a lower bill — no appeal needed. Check the boxes that apply and see what each one is worth at your local rate. Missed one in a past year? You can claim a refund for up to four prior tax years.
Your likely exemptions
The exemptions, plainly
Homeowner Exemption — $10,000 off your Equalized Assessed Value if you own and occupy the home. Renews automatically once granted. This is the one most commonly missing on recently-purchased homes.
Senior Exemption — an additional $8,000 EAV reduction at 65+, stacked on top of the Homeowner Exemption. Renews automatically.
Senior Freeze — for 65+ households with total income of $65,000 or less. Instead of a flat reduction, it freezes your taxable value at a base year — in a rising market this is often the single most valuable exemption. It must be renewed by application every year (spring filing period), and our calculator intentionally does not estimate it — the savings depend on your base year.
Persons with Disabilities — $2,000 EAV reduction with proof of disability. Veterans — a returning veteran gets $5,000 for the return year; service-connected disability tiers run $2,500 (30–49%), $5,000 (50–69%), and a full exemption at 70%+.
Missed a year? That's real money back
If you were eligible and the exemption never hit your bill, the Assessor's Certificate of Error process issues refunds for the four prior tax years. A missed Homeowner Exemption alone can be several hundred dollars per year — times four.
→ Estimate your full bill (PIN auto-fill)
→ When is the next bill due?
Exemptions are step one — if your assessment itself is too high, an appeal is step two.
Ad — we may earn a referral fee if you sign up through this link.
See how much I could saveOwnwell is a licensed appeal service. There's no upfront cost to check — they only charge if they win you a reduction.