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County assessor warns seniors: income-threshold increase won’t affect 2026 bills
Summary
McLean County assessor staff said the legislature raised senior freeze income thresholds (to $75,000 for 2026, $77,000 for 2027 and $79,000 thereafter) but clarified the change applies to assessment year 2026, meaning taxes payable in 2027 — not the bills residents are currently receiving.
At the annual meeting of township assessors for McLean County, a county assessment office presenter said the state legislature passed a bill raising the senior freeze income threshold, but the change will not affect tax bills already being mailed for 2025 payable 2026.
The presenter said the threshold ‘‘is going to go from 65,000 this year, for 2026, it's going to go to 75,000. For 2027, it's going to go to 77,000. And then, for 2028 and thereafter, it will be 79,000.’’ He cautioned that ‘‘this does not go into effect for taxes payable in 2026. It's only for taxes for assessment year 2026,’’ meaning homeowners should not expect immediate relief on spring installments arriving now.
Why it matters: the office said the delayed effective timing is necessary to certify and qualify applicants. Staff emphasized that if the legislature had made the change effective for 2025 payable 2026 it would have been ‘‘an absolute nightmare’’ to prepare certifications and collect income documentation in time.
Practical guidance: the presenter urged homeowners with questions to contact the assessor’s office for clarification and noted staff will use the intervening year to prepare administrative procedures for certifying eligibility under the higher thresholds.
Next step: office staff said they expect the law to be signed but reiterated that relief will not appear on tax bills until taxes payable in 2027.
