Senior citizens can apply for a property tax assessment freeze for 2026.

PUBLIC NOTICE 2026 LOW-INCOME  SENIOR CITIZENS ASSESSMENT FREEZE  HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION The 2026 Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (35ILCS 200/15-172) allows qualified senior citizens to elect to maintain the equalized assessed value of their home at the base year value and prevent any increase due to inflation. The base year is the year prior to the year you first qualify and apply for the exemption. The assessment freeze exemption does not freeze the amount of your property tax bill, which could increase if the tax rate increases. Your assessment and tax bill may also increase if you add improvements to your home. To qualify for the assessment freeze in 2026, you must be 65 years of age or older during the taxable year and have a total household income of no more than $75,000 in 2025. In addition, on January 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026, you must have used the property as your principal place of residence, owned the property or had legal or equitable interest in the property by written instrument, or had a leasehold interest in the single-family residence and be liable for the payment of property taxes. Application must be submitted by July 1st, 2026. Information and applications are available from the Office of Assessments, located in the Administration Building, directly north of the Courthouse Complex, at 667 Ware Road, Room 106, in Woodstock, IL 60098, (815) 334-4290. Applications are also available on our website at www.mchenrycountyil.gov Click on County Government, Departments, Assessments, Forms and Rules and click on the above-named application for the current year.  (Published Northwest Herald April 29, 2026) 2316204