From the County Treasurer’s Office:
Application Period Opens for Senior Tax Deferral Program
WOODSTOCK, Ill. – The application period to participate in the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program will open January 1, 2026, McHenry County Treasurer Donna Kurtz announced.
The program, which provides tax relief for qualified senior citizens by essentially providing a loan up to
$7,500 to pay a senior’s property tax bill, is open to applications through March 1.
Starting this year, the maximum household income to be eligible has increased from $65,000 to $75,000; the state previously halved the interest rate from 6% to 3%.
“With the increase in maximum income to be eligible, even more seniors can take advantage of the Senior
Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program, which offers our seniors a cost-effective way to defer their property-tax bill if they need to, freeing up funds to pay for other pressing expenses,” Kurtz said.
“We encourage anyone who is interested in learning more, either for themselves or a family member, to call our office at 815-334-4260 for more information. If you call after-hours, we will get back you on the next workday.”
To be eligible for this program, an applicant must be at least 65 years old by June 1 and have a total
household income less than $75,000. Other program requirements include:
- Living on the property or other qualifying property for the last three years,
- Having equity in the property,
- Having no unpaid property taxes or foreclosures, and
- Having fire and casualty insurance for the property.
Upon qualification, a lien for the deferred amount will be filed on the qualifying property. Deferred amounts o be repaid upon the sale or transfer of the property, or within one year of the property owner’s death.
Applications can be found at treasurer.mchenrycountyil.gov, and must be received by March 1; there will be no extensions.
For questions, please visit the Treasurer’s website or contact them at 815-334-4260 or here.
In addition, Kurtz encourages seniors to make sure they are taking advantage of the multiple exemption options that are available to ease their property-tax burden. To learn more about these exemptions,
Contact the McHenry County Assessments Office at 815-334-4290 or email assessments@mchenrycountyil.gov.
