2020 Senior Citizen's Assessment Freeze
New On-Line Application Process
Overview:
The Senior Citizen's Assessment Freeze Renewal Notice letter mailing has been postponed. No date for the mailing has been determined. The big change this year is a paper copy of the PTAX-340 Assessment Freeze Application form
will not
be included in the mailing to senior citizens. The County has elected to have the annual renewal application be completed on-line.
COVID-19 “Coronavirus”:
The deadline to renew the Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze is July 1
st,
. There is sufficient time to wait until this health crisis has passed. The deadline may be extended. Remain safe and do not leave your home.
Fremont Township Assessor’s Office is not open to the public. We will have limited staffing (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) to assist residents via phone and email regarding assessment and exemption questions.
How To Apply:
Smartfile E-Filing
The Smartfile E-filing application is found on the Lake County website below. We also have an Application Guide to assist persons filing on-line that can be found on the Fremont Township Assessor’s website. The on-line E-Filing process is not difficult – it’s just new. The Application Guide provides step by step instructions with corresponding screen shots from creating an individual account through submitting the filing.
Using the paper application PTAX-340 form
Given the current health crisis and the dramatic shift from a paper form to on-line E-Filing, my office is making the paper form available to be completed and submitted to my office for my staff to enter into the on-line E-Filing application.
Qualifications and Documentation:
To qualify, applicants must:
• Be 65 years of age or older.
• Own the property as their principal residence January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020
• Have a total household income of $65,000 or less in 2019
• This exemption must be renewed on an annual basis.
• Please have your photo ID showing the property address for the exemption being applied for.
• You will need your tax return, 1040 or 1040SR or household income documents for the tax year of 2019 for all household members.
Benefit:
The Senior Freeze provides limited-income seniors with protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property values. It is not a tax freeze or a tax reduction and does not protect against increased taxes due to tax rate increases. Because this exemption provides for a base year frozen assessment, it will potentially provide increased savings each year a senior is eligible.
Conclusion:
The County has made this commitment to file on-line. There is a cost savings where County personnel is not processing the paperwork. My office understands this will create difficulties for our seniors. We are here to help.
Joe Herchenbach
Fremont Township Assessor
Phone: 847-223-2846
Joe Herchenbach, CIAO, IFA
Fremont Township Assessor
22385 W. IL Route 60
Mundelein, IL 60060
847-223-2846
