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| Public Act 096-1298 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning revenue.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing | ||||
Section 15-169 as follows: | ||||
(35 ILCS 200/15-169)
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Sec. 15-169. Disabled veterans standard homestead | ||||
exemption. | ||||
(a) Beginning with taxable year 2007, an annual homestead | ||||
exemption, limited to the amounts set forth in subsection (b), | ||||
is granted for property that is used as a qualified residence | ||||
by a disabled veteran. | ||||
(b) The amount of the exemption under this Section is as | ||||
follows: | ||||
(1) for veterans with a service-connected disability | ||||
of at least 75%, as certified by the United States | ||||
Department of Veterans Affairs, the annual exemption is | ||||
$5,000; and | ||||
(2) for veterans with a service-connected disability | ||||
of at least 50%, but less than 75%, as certified by the | ||||
United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the annual | ||||
exemption is $2,500. | ||||
(b-5) If a homestead exemption is granted under this | ||||
Section and the person awarded the exemption subsequently | ||
becomes a resident of a facility licensed under the Nursing | ||
Home Care Act or a facility operated by the United States | ||
Department of Veterans Affairs, then the exemption shall | ||
continue (i) so long as the residence continues to be occupied | ||
by the qualifying person's spouse or (ii) if the residence | ||
remains unoccupied but is still owned by the person who | ||
qualified for the homestead exemption. | ||
(c) The tax exemption under this Section carries over to | ||
the benefit of the veteran's
surviving spouse as long as the | ||
spouse holds the legal or
beneficial title to the homestead, | ||
permanently resides
thereon, and does not remarry. If the | ||
surviving spouse sells
the property, an exemption not to exceed | ||
the amount granted
from the most recent ad valorem tax roll may | ||
be transferred to
his or her new residence as long as it is | ||
used as his or her
primary residence and he or she does not | ||
remarry. | ||
(d) The exemption under this Section applies for taxable | ||
year 2007 and thereafter. A taxpayer who claims an exemption | ||
under Section 15-165 or 15-168 may not claim an exemption under | ||
this Section. | ||
(e) Application must be made during the application period
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in effect for the county of his or her residence. The assessor
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or chief county assessment officer may determine the
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eligibility of residential property to receive the homestead
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exemption provided by this Section by application, visual
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inspection, questionnaire, or other reasonable methods. The
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determination must be made in accordance with guidelines
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established by the Department. | ||
(f) For the purposes of this Section: | ||
"Qualified residence" means real
property, but less any | ||
portion of that property that is used for
commercial purposes, | ||
with an equalized assessed value of less than $250,000 that is | ||
the disabled veteran's primary residence. Property rented for | ||
more than 6 months is
presumed to be used for commercial | ||
purposes. | ||
"Veteran" means an Illinois resident who has served as a
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member of the United States Armed Forces on active duty or
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State active duty, a member of the Illinois National Guard, or
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a member of the United States Reserve Forces and who has | ||
received an honorable discharge.
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(Source: P.A. 95-644, eff. 10-12-07.)
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