State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
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91_SB0140

 
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 1        AN ACT concerning property tax deferment.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 5.  The State Finance Act is amended by  changing
 5    Sections 5.122 and 6p-4 as follows:

 6        (30 ILCS 105/5.122) (from Ch. 127, par. 141.122)
 7        Sec.  5.122.   The  Senior  Citizens and Disabled Persons
 8    Real Estate Deferred Tax Revolving Fund.
 9    (Source: P.A. 83-1362.)

10        (30 ILCS 105/6p-4) (from Ch. 127, par. 142p4)
11        Sec. 6p-4.  Senior Citizens  and  Disabled  Persons  Real
12    Estate  Deferral  Tax  Revolving  Fund.   As soon as possible
13    after the effective date of the Senior Citizens  Real  Estate
14    Tax  Deferral  Act,  the sum of $330,000 shall be transferred
15    from the State Lottery  Fund  to  the  Senior  Citizens  Real
16    Estate Deferred Tax Revolving Fund by the Comptroller and the
17    State  Treasurer.  Additional funds, as may be necessary, may
18    be appropriated from the General  Revenue  Fund.   Thereafter
19    All  moneys  received by the Department of Revenue in payment
20    of deferred taxes and accrued interest, under  Section  7  of
21    the  Senior  Citizens  and  Disabled  Persons Real Estate Tax
22    Deferral Act, shall be paid  into  the  Senior  Citizens  and
23    Disabled  Persons  Real  Estate  Deferred Tax Revolving Fund.
24    Appropriations from the Senior Citizens and Disabled  Persons
25    Real Estate Deferred Tax Revolving Fund shall only be made to
26    the  Department  of  Revenue  for  making  payments to county
27    collectors as provided in the Senior  Citizens  and  Disabled
28    Persons Real Estate Tax Deferral Act.
29    (Source: P.A. 83-1362.)
 
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 1        Section 10.  The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
 2    Section 15-170 as follows:

 3        (35 ILCS 200/15-170)
 4        Sec.  15-170.   Senior  Citizens Homestead Exemption.  An
 5    annual homestead exemption limited, except as described  here
 6    with  relation  to  cooperatives,  to a maximum reduction set
 7    forth below from  the  property's  value,  as   equalized  or
 8    assessed  by  the Department, is granted for property that is
 9    occupied as a residence by a person 65 years of age or  older
10    who  is  liable  for paying real estate taxes on the property
11    and is an owner of record of the property or has a  legal  or
12    equitable   interest   therein  as  evidenced  by  a  written
13    instrument, except for a leasehold  interest,  other  than  a
14    leasehold interest of land on which a single family residence
15    is  located,  which is occupied as a residence by a person 65
16    years or older who has an ownership interest therein,  legal,
17    equitable  or  as  a lessee, and on which he or she is liable
18    for the payment of  property  taxes.  The  maximum  reduction
19    shall   be   $2,500   in  counties  with  3,000,000  or  more
20    inhabitants and $2,000  in  all  other  counties.   For  land
21    improved  with  an apartment building owned and operated as a
22    cooperative or a building which is a life care facility which
23    shall  be  considered  to  be  a  cooperative,  the   maximum
24    reduction from the value of the property, as equalized by the
25    Department,  shall  be multiplied by the number of apartments
26    or units occupied by a person 65 years of age or older who is
27    liable, by contract with the owner or owners of  record,  for
28    paying  property  taxes  on  the  property and is an owner of
29    record of a legal or equitable interest  in  the  cooperative
30    apartment  building,  other  than  a leasehold interest. In a
31    cooperative where a homestead  exemption  has  been  granted,
32    the  cooperative  association  or  its  management firm shall
33    credit the savings resulting from that exemption only to  the
 
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 1    apportioned  tax liability of the owner who qualified for the
 2    exemption.  Any person who willfully refuses to so credit the
 3    savings shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Under  this
 4    Section  and  Section  15-175,  "life  care facility" means a
 5    facility as defined in Section 2 of the Life Care  Facilities
 6    Act, with which the applicant for the homestead exemption has
 7    a  life  care contract as defined in that Act, which requires
 8    the applicant to pay property taxes.
 9        When a homestead exemption has been  granted  under  this
10    Section  and  the  person  qualifying  subsequently becomes a
11    resident of a facility licensed under the Nursing  Home  Care
12    Act,  the  exemption  shall continue so long as the residence
13    continues to be occupied by the qualifying person's spouse if
14    the spouse is 65 years of age or older, or if  the  residence
15    remains unoccupied but is still owned by the person qualified
16    for the homestead exemption.
17        A  person  who will be 65 years of age during the current
18    assessment year shall be eligible to apply for the  homestead
19    exemption  during that assessment year.  Application shall be
20    made during the application period in effect for  the  county
21    of his residence.
22        The  assessor  or  chief  county  assessment  officer may
23    determine the eligibility of a life care facility to  receive
24    the   benefits   provided  by  this  Section,  by  affidavit,
25    application,  visual  inspection,  questionnaire   or   other
26    reasonable  methods  in  order to insure that the tax savings
27    resulting from the exemption are credited by  the  management
28    firm  to  the  apportioned  tax  liability of each qualifying
29    resident.  The assessor may request reasonable proof that the
30    management firm has so credited the exemption.
31        The chief county assessment officer of each  county  with
32    less  than 3,000,000 inhabitants shall provide to each person
33    allowed a homestead exemption under this Section  a  form  to
34    designate  any  other  person  to  receive a duplicate of any
 
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 1    notice of delinquency in the payment of  taxes  assessed  and
 2    levied  under  this  Code  on  the  property  of  the  person
 3    receiving  the  exemption.  The duplicate notice  shall be in
 4    addition to the notice required to be provided to the  person
 5    receiving  the  exemption,  and  shall be given in the manner
 6    required by this Code.  The person filing the request for the
 7    duplicate  notice  shall  pay  a   fee   of   $5   to   cover
 8    administrative  costs  to  the supervisor of assessments, who
 9    shall then file the  executed  designation  with  the  county
10    collector.   Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code
11    to the contrary, the filing of such an  executed  designation
12    requires the county collector to provide duplicate notices as
13    indicated by the designation.  A designation may be rescinded
14    by  the  person who executed such designation at any time, in
15    the manner and form required by the chief  county  assessment
16    officer.
17        The  assessor  or  chief  county  assessment  officer may
18    determine the eligibility of residential property to  receive
19    the   homestead   exemption   provided  by  this  Section  by
20    application,  visual  inspection,  questionnaire   or   other
21    reasonable  methods.   The  determination  shall  be  made in
22    accordance with guidelines established by the Department.
23        In counties with less  than  3,000,000  inhabitants,  the
24    county  board  may by resolution provide that if a person has
25    been granted a homestead exemption under  this  Section,  the
26    person qualifying need not reapply for the exemption.
27        In  counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if the
28    assessor or chief county assessment officer  requires  annual
29    application  for verification of eligibility for an exemption
30    once granted under this Section,  the  application  shall  be
31    mailed to the taxpayer.
32        The  assessor  or  chief  county assessment officer shall
33    notify each person who qualifies for an exemption under  this
34    Section that the person may also qualify for deferral of real
 
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 1    estate  taxes  under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons
 2    Real Estate Tax Deferral Act.  The notice shall set forth the
 3    qualifications needed for deferral of real estate taxes,  the
 4    address  and  telephone  number  of  county  collector, and a
 5    statement that applications for deferral of real estate taxes
 6    may be obtained from the county collector.
 7    (Source: P.A. 89-412, eff. 11-17-95; 90-471, eff. 8-17-97.)

 8        Section 15.  The Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral
 9    Act is amended by changing Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 and the
10    title of the Act as follows:

11        (320 ILCS 30/Act title)
12        An Act in relation to the deferral  of  payment  of  real
13    estate taxes by persons 65 years of age and over and disabled
14    persons.
15        (Source: P.A. 83-895.)

16        (320 ILCS 30/1) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 451)
17        Sec.  1.  Short title. This Act shall be known and may be
18    cited as the  "Senior  Citizens  and  Disabled  Persons  Real
19    Estate Tax Deferral Act".
20    (Source: P.A. 83-895.)

21        (320 ILCS 30/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452)
22        Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act:
23        (a)  "Taxpayer"   means  an  individual  whose  household
24    income for the year is no greater than $25,000.
25        (b)  "Tax deferred  property"  means  the  property  upon
26    which real estate taxes are deferred under this Act.
27        (c)  "Homestead"  means  the  land and buildings thereon,
28    including a condominium or a dwelling unit in a multidwelling
29    building  that  is  owned  and  operated  as  a  cooperative,
30    occupied by the  taxpayer  as  his  residence  or  which  are
 
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 1    temporarily  unoccupied by the taxpayer because such taxpayer
 2    is temporarily residing, for not  more  than  1  year,  in  a
 3    licensed  facility as defined in Section 1-113 of the Nursing
 4    Home Care Act.
 5        (d)  "Real estate taxes" or "taxes" means  the  taxes  on
 6    real  property  for  which the taxpayer would be liable under
 7    the Property Tax Code, including special service area  taxes,
 8    and  special assessments on benefited real property for which
 9    the taxpayer would be liable to a unit of local government.
10        (e)  "Department" means the Department of Revenue.
11        (f)  "Qualifying property" means a  homestead  which  (a)
12    the taxpayer or the taxpayer and his spouse own in fee simple
13    or  are  purchasing in fee simple under a recorded instrument
14    of sale, (b) is not income-producing  property,  (c)  is  not
15    subject  to  a lien for unpaid real estate taxes when a claim
16    under this Act is filed.
17        (g)  "Equity  interest"  means   the   current   assessed
18    valuation  of  the  qualified  property  times  the  fraction
19    necessary  to  convert that figure to full market value minus
20    any outstanding debts or liens on that property.  In the case
21    of  qualifying  property  not  having  a  separate   assessed
22    valuation,  the  appraised value as determined by a qualified
23    real estate appraiser shall be used instead  of  the  current
24    assessed valuation.
25        (h)  "Household  income" has the meaning ascribed to that
26    term in the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax
27    Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act.
28        (i)  "Collector" means the county collector  or,  if  the
29    taxes  to  be  deferred  are special assessments, an official
30    designated by a unit of local government to  collect  special
31    assessments.
32        (j)  "Disabled person" has the same meaning as in Section
33    3.14 of the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax
34    Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act.
 
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 1    (Source: P.A. 88-268; 88-509; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)

 2        (320 ILCS 30/3) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453)
 3        Sec. 3.  Application and requirements. A taxpayer may, on
 4    or before March 1 of each year, apply to the county collector
 5    of  the  county  where  his  or  her  qualifying  property is
 6    located, or to the official designated by  a  unit  of  local
 7    government  to  collect special assessments on the qualifying
 8    property, as the case may be, for a deferral of all or a part
 9    of real  estate  taxes  payable  during  that  year  for  the
10    preceding  year  in  the case of real estate taxes other than
11    special assessments, or for a deferral  of  any  installments
12    payable  during that year in the case of special assessments,
13    on all or part  of  his  or  her  qualifying  property.   The
14    application  shall  be on a form prescribed by the Department
15    and furnished by the collector,  (a)  showing  that  (a)  the
16    applicant  will  be 65 years of age or older by June 1 of the
17    year for which a tax deferral is claimed or the applicant  is
18    a  disabled  person  as defined by Section 3.14 of the Senior
19    Citizens  and  Disabled  Persons  Property  Tax  Relief   and
20    Pharmaceutical  Assistance  Act,  (b) describing the property
21    and verifying that the property  is  qualifying  property  as
22    defined  in  Section  2, (c) certifying that the taxpayer has
23    owned and occupied as his or her residence such  property  or
24    other  qualifying property in the State for at least the last
25    3 years except for any periods during which the taxpayer  may
26    have temporarily resided in a nursing or sheltered care home,
27    and  (d) specifying whether the deferral is for all or a part
28    of the taxes, and, if for a  part,  the  amount  of  deferral
29    applied  for. As to qualifying property not having a separate
30    assessed valuation, the taxpayer shall  also  file  with  the
31    county collector a written appraisal of the property prepared
32    by   a  qualified  real  estate  appraiser  together  with  a
33    certificate signed by the appraiser stating that  he  or  she
 
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 1    has  personally  examined  the property and setting forth the
 2    value of the land and the  value  of  the  buildings  thereon
 3    occupied by the taxpayer as his or her residence.
 4        The  collector shall grant the tax deferral provided such
 5    deferral does  not  exceed  funds  available  in  the  Senior
 6    Citizens  and  Disabled  Persons  Real  Estate  Deferred  Tax
 7    Revolving  Fund and provided that the owner or owners of such
 8    real property have entered into a tax deferral  and  recovery
 9    agreement with the collector on behalf of the county or other
10    unit of local government, which agreement expressly states:
11        (1)  That  the  total amount of taxes deferred under this
12    Act, plus interest, for the year for which a tax deferral  is
13    claimed  as  well as for those previous years for which taxes
14    are not delinquent and  for  which  such  deferral  has  been
15    claimed  may not exceed 80% of the taxpayer's equity interest
16    in the property for which taxes are to be deferred and  that,
17    if  the  total deferred taxes plus interest equals 80% of the
18    taxpayer's equity interest  in  the  property,  the  taxpayer
19    shall thereafter pay the annual interest due on such deferred
20    taxes  plus  interest  so  that  total  deferred  taxes  plus
21    interest  will  not  exceed such 80% of the taxpayer's equity
22    interest in the property.;
23        (2)  That any real estate taxes deferred under  this  Act
24    and  any  interest accrued thereon at the rate of 6% per year
25    are a lien on the real estate and improvements thereon  until
26    paid.   No  sale  or  transfer  of  such real property may be
27    legally closed and  recorded  until  the  taxes  which  would
28    otherwise  have  been  due  on  the  property,  plus  accrued
29    interest,  have  been  paid unless the collector certifies in
30    writing that an arrangement for prompt payment of the  amount
31    due  has  been  made  with his or her office.  The same shall
32    apply if the property is to be made the subject of a contract
33    of sale.
34        (3)  That upon the death of  the  taxpayer  claiming  the
 
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 1    deferral  the  heirs-at-law, assignees or legatees shall have
 2    first priority to the real property  upon  which  taxes  have
 3    been  deferred  by paying in full the total taxes which would
 4    otherwise have been due, plus  interest.   However,  if  such
 5    heir-at-law,  assignee, or legatee is a surviving spouse, the
 6    tax deferred status of the property shall be continued during
 7    the life of that surviving spouse if the spouse is  55  years
 8    of  age  or older within 6 months of the date of death of the
 9    taxpayer  and  enters  into  a  tax  deferral  and   recovery
10    agreement  before  the  time  when  deferred taxes become due
11    under this Section.   Any  additional  taxes  deferred,  plus
12    interest,  on  the  real  property  under  a tax deferral and
13    recovery agreement signed by  a  surviving  spouse  shall  be
14    added  to  the  taxes and interest which would otherwise have
15    been due, and the payment of which has been postponed  during
16    the  life  of  such  surviving spouse, in determining the 80%
17    equity requirement provided by this Section.
18        (4)  That if the taxes due, plus interest, are  not  paid
19    by  the heir-at-law, assignee or legatee or if payment is not
20    postponed during the life of a surviving spouse, the deferred
21    taxes and interest shall be recovered from the estate of  the
22    taxpayer within one year of the date of his or her death.  In
23    addition, deferred real estate taxes and any interest accrued
24    thereon  are  due  within  90  days  after  any  tax deferred
25    property ceases to  be  qualifying  property  as  defined  in
26    Section 2.
27        If  payment  is  not  made when required by this Section,
28    foreclosure proceedings may be instituted under the  Property
29    Tax Code.
30        (5)  That   any  joint  owner  has  given  written  prior
31    approval for such agreement, which written approval shall  be
32    made a part of such agreement.
33        (6)  That  a guardian for a person under legal disability
34    appointed for a taxpayer who otherwise qualifies  under  this
 
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 1    Act may act for the taxpayer in complying with this Act.
 2        (7)  That  a taxpayer or his or her agent has provided to
 3    the satisfaction of the collector, sufficient  evidence  that
 4    the qualifying property on which the taxes are to be deferred
 5    is  insured  against  fire  or casualty loss for at least the
 6    total amount of taxes which have been deferred.
 7        If the taxes to be deferred are special assessments,  the
 8    unit of local government making the assessments shall forward
 9    a copy of the agreement entered into pursuant to this Section
10    and the bills for such assessments to the county collector of
11    the county in which the qualifying property is located.
12    (Source: P.A. 90-170, eff. 7-23-97; revised 10-31-98.)

13        (320 ILCS 30/5) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 455)
14        Sec.  5.   Tax bills; payment. The county collector shall
15    note on his or her books each  claim  for  deferral  of  real
16    estate  taxes  which meets the requirements of Section 3 and,
17    when taxes are extended, shall send to the Department the tax
18    bills, including special assessment bills  forwarded  to  the
19    county  collector  under  Section  3,  on  all  tax  deferred
20    property  in  that  collector's county.  The Department shall
21    then pay by June 1 or within 30 days of the receipt of  these
22    tax  bills,  whichever is later, to the county collector, for
23    distribution to the taxing bodies in his or her  county,  the
24    total amount of taxes so deferred.  The Department shall make
25    these  payments from the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons
26    Real Estate Deferred Tax Revolving Fund.
27    (Source: P.A. 84-807.)

28        (320 ILCS 30/7) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 457)
29        Sec. 7.  Collection.  When any deferred taxes,  including
30    interest,  are  collected,  the moneys shall be credited to a
31    special  account  in  the  treasury  of  the  unit  of  local
32    government and the collector shall notify  the  treasurer  of
 
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 1    the  unit of local government of the properties for which the
 2    taxes were collected by setting forth a  description  of  the
 3    property  and  the amount of taxes and interest collected for
 4    each property. The treasurer shall remit by the 10th  day  of
 5    each  month the amount of deferred taxes and accrued interest
 6    paid during the preceding  month,  minus  $50  or  the  total
 7    amount  of  deferred  taxes  and  accrued interest collected,
 8    whichever is less, to the Department.  The  remittance  shall
 9    be  accompanied  by a statement giving a description for each
10    property for which the taxes were collected and  setting  out
11    the  amount  of  the  taxes  and  interest collected for each
12    property.
13        If the tax deferred property is sold by foreclosure under
14    the Property Tax Code, the proceeds of the sale which may  be
15    applied  under  that  Act to the payment of real estate taxes
16    and interest shall be remitted by the county treasurer to the
17    Department along with a description of the property  and  the
18    amount of taxes and interest collected thereon.
19        When any deferred taxes and accrued interest are received
20    by  the  Department,  it  shall  enter  the  amounts received
21    against the accounts which have  been  set  up  for  the  tax
22    deferred properties and shall within 5 days remit such moneys
23    to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Senior Citizens and
24    Disabled Persons Real Estate Deferred Tax Revolving Fund.
25    (Source: P.A. 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)

26        Section  99.   Effective  date.   This  Act  takes effect
27    January 1, 2000.

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