320 ILCS 25/4 — Illinois Code / Chapter 320 / Act 25 / Section 4
Section 4
Status: in_force

(320 ILCS 25/4) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 404) Sec. 4. Amount of Grant. (a) In general. Any individual 65 years or older or any individual who will become 65 years old during the calendar year in which a claim is filed, and any surviving spouse of such a claimant, who at the time of death received or was entitled to receive a grant pursuant to this Section, which surviving spouse will become 65 years of age within the 24 months immediately following the death of such claimant and which surviving spouse but for his or her age is otherwise qualified to receive a grant pursuant to this Section, and any person with a disability whose annual household income is less than the income eligibility limitation, as defined in subsection (a-5) and whose household is liable for payment of property taxes accrued or has paid rent constituting property taxes accrued and is domiciled in this State at the time he or she files his or her claim is entitled to claim a grant under this Act. With respect to claims filed by individuals who will become 65 years old during the calendar year in which a claim is filed, the amount of any grant to which that household is entitled shall be an amount equal to 1/12 of the amount to which the claimant would otherwise be entitled as provided in this Section, multiplied by the number of months in which the claimant was 65 in the calendar year in which the claim is filed. (a-5) Income eligibility limitation. For purposes of this Section, "income eligibility limitation" means an amount for grant years 2008 through 2019: (1) less than $22,218 for a household containing one person; (2) less than $29,480 for a household containing 2 persons; or (3) less than $36,740 for a household containing 3 or more persons. For grant years 2020 and thereafter: (1) less than $33,562 for a household containing one person; (2) less than $44,533 for a household containing 2 persons; or (3) less than $55,500 for a household containing 3 or more persons. For 2009 claim year applications submitted during calendar year 2010, a household must have annual household income of less than $27,610 for a household containing one person; less than $36,635 for a household containing 2 persons; or less than $45,657 for a household containing 3 or more persons. The Department on Aging may adopt rules such that on January 1, 2011, and thereafter, the foregoing household income eligibility limits may be changed to reflect the annual cost of living adjustment in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that are applicable to the year for which those benefits are being reported as income on an application. If a person files as a surviving spouse, then only his or her income shall be counted in determining his or her household income. (b) Limitation. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section, the maximum amount of grant which a claimant is entitled to claim is the amount by which the property taxes accrued which were paid or payable during the last preceding tax year or rent constituting property taxes accrued upon the claimant's residence for the last preceding taxable year exceeds 3 1/2% of the claimant's household income for that year but in no event is the grant to exceed (i) $700 less 4.5% of household income for that year for those with a household income of $14,000 or less or (ii) $70 if household income for that year is more than $14,000. (c) Public aid recipients. If household income in one or more months during a year includes cash assistance in excess of $55 per month from the Department of Healthcare and Family Services or the Department of Human Services (acting as successor to the Department of Public Aid under the Department of Human Services Act) which was determined under regulations of that Department on a measure of need that included an allowance for actual rent or property taxes paid by the recipient of that assistance, the amount of grant to which that household is entitled, except as otherwise provided in subsection (a), shall be the product of (1) the maximum amount computed as specified in subsection (b) of this Section and (2) the ratio of the number of months in which household income did not include such cash assistance over $55 to the number twelve. If household income did not include such cash assistance over $55 for any months during the year, the amount of the grant to which the household is entitled shall be the maximum amount computed as specified in subsection (b) of this Section. For purposes of this paragraph (c), "cash assistance" does not include any amount received under the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. (d) Joint ownership. If title to the residence is held jointly by the claimant with a person who is not a member of his or her household, the amount of property taxes accrued used in computing the amount of grant to which he or she is entitled shall be the same percentage of property taxes accrued as is the percentage of ownership held by the claimant in the residence. (e) More than one residence. If a claimant has occupied more than one residence in the taxable year, he or she may claim only one residence for any part of a month. In the case of property taxes accrued, he or she shall prorate 1/12 of the total property taxes accrued on his or her residence to each month that he or she owned and occupied that residence; and, in the case of rent constituting property taxes accrued, shall prorate each month's rent payments to the residence actually occupied during that month. (f) (Blank). (g) Effective January 1, 2006, there is hereby established a program of pharmaceutical assistance to the aged and to persons with disabilities, entitled the Illinois Seniors and Disabled Drug Coverage Program, which shall be administered by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Department on Aging in accordance with this subsection, to consist of coverage of specified prescription drugs on behalf of beneficiaries of the program as set forth in this subsection. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Act to the contrary, on and after July 1, 2012, pharmaceutical assistance under this Act shall no longer be provided, and on July 1, 2012 the Illinois Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Pharmaceutical Assistance Program shall terminate. The following provisions that concern the Illinois Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Pharmaceutical Assistance Program shall continue to apply on and after July 1, 2012 to the extent necessary to pursue any actions authorized by subsection (d) of Section 9 of this Act with respect to acts which took place prior to July 1, 2012. To become a beneficiary under the program established under this subsection, a person must: (1) be (i) 65 years of age or older or (ii) a person with a disability; and (2) be domiciled in this State; and (3) enroll with a qualified Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan if eligible and apply