DeKALB | Applications are being accepted for senior citizens in DeKalb County to defer property taxes to 2012.

The Senior Citizens’ Tax Deferral Program started taking applications earlier this month and will continue to take applications until Feb. 28.

DeKalb County Treasurer Christine Johnson said the program is occurring statewide.

“The state pays the taxes for them,” Johnson said. “It’s not a grant or anything like that, it’s a loan that must be paid back by the sale of the home or when the taxpayer passes away.”

For a senior citizen to qualify, Johnson said the person must be 65 years of age or older by June 1, 2011 and have a household income of no more than $50,000.

Other qualifications include owning and occupying the house for three or more years, only the person and their spouse can own the house, and there can be no past delinquent property taxes, Johnson said.

DeKalb Mayor Kris Povlsen thinks the temporary help is a positive in DeKalb.

“Any program to help senior citizens be financially stable is a good program,” Povlsen said.

The DeKalb County treasurer’s office mailed out applications to past users and to people who were interested in the program before.

The treasurer’s office receives between 50 to 60 applications per year and almost all qualify.

“There is a six percent interest rate on the loan,” Johnson said. “We check over the applications to make sure they are accurate. We look for other loans on the property because the state cannot defer any more then 80 percent equity of the home.”

Most of those who are deferring their taxes come from Sycamore and DeKalb, Johnson said.

“They can reapply each year and if they don’t want to be in it anymore they don’t have to,” Johnson said. “It’s a good program for senior citizens whose biggest asset may be their home.”

The treasurer’s office will send the tax bills to the state on May 1 and a copy of the bill to the owners.