The Illinois property tax system is complex and can be overwhelming to many citizens. In Kane County, it involves assessing more than 190,000 parcels with a total market value of more than $50 billion, calculating tax rates for 671 taxing districts, and collecting more than 381,000 tax payments (2008 statistics).
Kane County property owners pay property taxes which generate revenue used to operate municipalities, schools, parks, libraries, and road districts, as well as, fire and police protection.
The property tax system is based on the value of the property. It involves two separate component activities:
1. Determining the amount of taxes to operate the local units of government.
2. Apportioning that tax burden among all taxpayers.
The system provides a means of generating necessary revenue. That amount is determined by each local unit of government.
The system also places a value on property. The burden of generating the needed revenue can be spread among the parcels of property according to the proportionate value of each parcel.
Kane County is under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law which caps increases in property tax extensions for non home rule taxing districts. Increases in tax extensions are limited to the lesser of 5% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the year preceding the levy year. This limit slows the growth of property tax revenues to taxing districts when property values and assessments are increasing faster than the rate of inflation.

Exemptions reduce the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) by a specific amount; the actual tax savings depends on the tax rate for the specific property.

The General Homestead Exemption reduces the EAV of an owner-occupied dwelling by $5,500 in 2008/payable 2009, increasing to $6,000 in 2009/payable 2010.
The Homestead Improvement Exemption reduces the EAVof an owner-occupied dwelling with qualifying addition by up to $25,000.
The Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption reduces the EAV of a senior-owned-and-occupied dwelling by $4,000.
The Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Exemption effectivelyfreezes the EAV of senior-owned-and-occupied dwelling at a base year, causing the assessment not to increase; this is restricted to households with qualifying incomes of $55,000 or less.
Other exemptions include:

$5,000 for veterans returning from an armed conflict (first year only).
Up to $5,000 for qualified disabled veterans.
Up to $70,000 for disabled veterans who need adaptive housing.
$2,000 for qualified disabled persons.

The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral 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 6% interest rate to be repaid after the taxpayer’s death or at the time the property is sold. Contact the Kane County Treasurer for more information.The annual application period is January 1 to March 1.

Illinois Cares Rx Circuit Breaker Grants provide low-income senior citizens and disabled citizens yearly grants to help pay property taxes. To apply, you need to complete Form IL-1363. You may get this form online at www.cbrx.il.gov/aging or call 1-800-624-2459.

Kane County Clerk/Tax Extension
719 Batavia Ave., Bld “B”, Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 232-5964
Kane County Treasurer
719 Batavia Ave., Bld “A”, Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 232-3565
Kane County Assessment Office
719 Batavia Ave., Bld “C”, Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 208-3818
(Rev. May 2008)