Il - Illinois Veterans Benefits

[putintime]

PLEASE GET INVOLVED>>>CONTACT EVERYONE

Out of 16,000 Illinois disabled veterans how many even

daily socialize with people that live in a house that is worth $1,000,000. When Sen. Rutherford

and Sen. Haine (veteran) were throwing out negitivites about this bill, they were bringing

up veterans that are 45% disabled getting nothing, I've been around awhile and thought

the VA service connected disability percentages were in 10% increments. They also were

whinning about revenue having to be paid by others, but they failed to mention how many

retired veterans that are going to other states because of better benefits given to those that

deserve. We need more than 5 veterans in the state Senate (only 2 voted Yea) that

know how the VA operates, and what it takes to get a service connected disablity.

These guys sounded goofy discussing veteran issues and millions of dollars in homes &

businesses that these service connected disabled veterans have. We needed DVA

Duckworth up there as a rep instead of Sen. Rutheford that was worried

about saving face.

Take Care,

putintime

[putintime]

Currently I am ordering the Illinois Handbook of Government

for my area (LaSalle County) to distribute to as many Veteran

affiliates to keep them informed on who is who and how to

contact. The books are free and our Illinois Veterans may not

have computer access, but these hard copy books are updated

every 2 years...Please help me, help the veterans of Illinois...

CONTACT ALL ILLINOIS VETERAN AFFILIATES

Here are a few:

The Illinois American Legion

American Veterans (AMVETS)

Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

American Military Retiree Association (AMRA)

The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA)

WE ALL NEED TO GET INVOLVED!!!!

There are a few ways to contact our House / Senate Represenatives / Senators:

1. Type

http://wwwcyberdriveillinois.com/publcatio...708handbook.pdf

on the internet.

2. Type

Illinios Handbook of Government on the internet

3. Call Springfied, IL. at -800-252-8980 and ask to get a copy of ILLINOIS - Handbook of Government 2007-2008

it is free, and a great reference when a computer is not available.

Hope this helps

Take Care,

putintime

[afret]

In addition to the above, the Illinois Secretary of States Office will issue a free Disable Veteran License plate which has a free renewal each year to a 100% disabled veteran.

There may be an initial fee for issuance of I think $25.00 for the plate itself, but renewal thereafter each year is free.

The Illinois veterans site does not show this particular benefit - I have written them and they don't care to advertise it as a benefit on their veterans site.

You will have to go to the Secretary of States site and do a little searching to find it, but it's there.

Tammy Duckworth is kinda slipping up on the job in this regard. You might try sending her an e-mail on this, I did e-mail and snail mail. No results except a letter from a minor functionary stating all is well, move along...move along.

[VetsWifeAndMom]

My husband was rated 100% P&T. We were married after I had purchased our home. We never bothered to have his name added to the deed because it was addressed in my will.

He died shortly after we found out about this exemption. The tax assessor says that I don't qualify because my husband did not have a recorded ownership of the property. The regulations do not state that ownership recorded or not, is a requirement for this exemption, but the application forms printed and supplied by the State of Illinois do.

I have contacted every political representative and the IL Veterans Service Officer... No help. I have contacted Lisa Madigan's office... no reply. I was told by my Senators' aide to take it before the tax review board. I was told by my congressman's aide that ownership is a requirement. I told him to read the law.

Any suggestions? I surely can't be the only widow in the State who owned the property before marriage. I can prove it was his primary residence, but they don't care about that. How can we get this enforced? And, what about the taxes that are being collected while they refuse to acknowledge the law?

(35 ILCS 200/15-169 new)

Sec. 15-169. DISABLED VETERAN STANDARD HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

(a) Beginning with taxable year 2007, an annual homestead

exemption, limited to the amounts set forth in subsection

is granted for property that is used as a qualified residence

by a disabled veteran.

(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 (EAV)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.

[samalw]

VetsWifeAndMom,

FWIW, I think you're doing everything right. Apppeal in writing or on the websites to both your county treasurer's office and the assessor's office. If you do "win" the appeal, then you can recover any overpayment amount. I can confirm that my 100% Disabled Veteran Exemption has been accepted on the Cook County Assessor's website by looking it up using my property PIN number. The only indication that I've received of a reduction in taxes as a result of the exemption is an "escrow disclosure statement" from my mortgage company showing an escrow excess (with an attached check for this amount) and new monthly payment beginning 1/1/09 for an amount $108/mo. less than my current payment. From the assessor's website, the exemption reduced my tax bill by about $360 so I don't see how this math adds up. Anyway, hang in there and make sure you've appealed it with both the assessor and the treasurer. It doesn't come close to the amount that Blagojevich's proposed 100% exemption of property tax for 50-100% disabled vets would have been but it's certainly something worth pursuing.

Best of luck!

Al

[Justme1949]

I've been checking the Illinois VA site with hopes that the bill they proposed(and voted down) on Tax exemption for 50%-100% will come up again!! For some reason I thought they where going to look at it again this past November. Guess I was wrong! B)