New Property Tax Savings for World War II Veterans

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and staff welcomed World War II veterans and their spouses to the office this week to honor their service and celebrate a new program that will exempt them from property taxes. 

The World War II Veterans Exemption was created by the Illinois state legislature and signed into law in 2024. It permanently exempts members of the United States Armed Forces during World War II from paying property taxes. 

The veterans in attendance were Eddie Durham, Leo Schmitz, Thomas Cernek, and Don Ferrone. Anita Hurwitz and Barbara Martin, surviving spouses of two other veterans, also attended. 

Assessor Kaegi presented certificates to all the attendees in honor of their military service and listened to each family share their story about serving their country. 

The oldest veteran in attendance is 103 years old. His daughter and caretaker expressed her gratitude for the tax-saving program and shared that her father enjoys meeting other WWII veterans like himself. 

“As the descendant of veterans, I was proud and honored to be able to thank these veterans and their families for their service to the United States,” said Assessor Kaegi. “Help us spread the word to other military families that may be eligible for these savings.” 

The Cook County Assessor’s Office also offers exemptions for Veterans with Disabilities and Returning Veterans. 

For more information, see https://www.cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions. Exemption applications are due by Monday, April 21. If a homeowner misses the deadline, they can file for what is called a Certificate of Error to redeem past exemptions. 

Applications can be downloaded at www.cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions

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More photos of the event are available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookcountyassessor/albums/72177720325106370.