This is a press release that has been contributed to the AmNews but has not been vetted or verified but that may be of interest to the community.
Eligible New Yorkers can file their taxes for free through NYC Free Tax Prep.
Residents who earned $85,000 or less and file as a family, or those who earned $59,000 or less and file as an individual or couple without dependents, are eligible to file through NYC Free Tax Prep. NYC Free Tax Prep provides free, professional tax preparation services that helps New Yorkers keep their full refund, including valuable tax credits, like the enhanced NYC Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which was expanded last year for the first time in 20 years. Last year, NYC Free Tax Prep filed more than 84,000 tax returns, saving New Yorkers more than $13 million in tax preparation fees. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will begin accepting tax returns today, Monday, January 29th through Monday, April 15, 2024.
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“NYC Free Tax Prep offers trusted and professional tax preparation services to thousands of New Yorkers each year, helping them get the fullest refund possible at no cost to them,” said New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “Eligible New Yorkers deserve to claim these credits and file their taxes without having to pay a commercial preparer a portion of their hard-earned money. If you earned $59,000 or less as an individual, or a family that earned less than $85,000, I urge you to file for free and claim your refund.”
NYC Free Tax Prep Services:
- In-Person Tax Prep—sit down with a volunteer preparer: At in-person tax prep sites, knowledgeable IRS certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)/Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) volunteer preparers help filers complete an accurate tax return. More than 130 sites across the city will be opening in the coming weeks.
- Drop-off Service—drop off your documents and pick up your completed return later: With drop-off service, filers can drop off their tax documents and pick up the completed return later.
- Virtual Tax Prep—like in-person free filing but online: Virtual Tax Prep is an online service where an IRS certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparer will video conference with filers to help prepare their tax return using a secure digital system. Filers can submit photos or scans of tax documents to the preparer, confirm their identity, and complete their return by video call with a preparer. Filers will need access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone; a stable internet connection; and the ability to download secure video conference software.
- Assisted Self-Preparation—free online tax prep on your own or with help: Assisted Self-Preparation allows filers to complete their tax return online on their own and an IRS certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparer will be available by phone or email to answer questions. Filers will need access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone; a stable internet connection; an email address, and their 2022 adjusted gross income (AGI) or self-select PIN.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC):
The EITC is available to working families and individuals with low and moderate incomes. Last year’s enhancement of the NYC EITC, the first increase in NYC in almost 20 years, will help 800,000 New Yorkers who qualify to better afford essential items like food, rent, and utilities.
Last year, the NYC EITC increased from a 5% match of the federal EITC levels to 10-30% depending on the filers’ income, meaning more money back for more New Yorkers. Under the City’s enhancement of the EITC, a single parent with one child with an income of $14,750 saw the benefit increase from $187 to $933—a 400% increase. A married couple with two children and an income of $25,000 saw their New York City benefit increase from $308 to $925 under the City payment—a 200% increase.
NYC Free Tax Prep for Self-Employed New Yorkers:
NYC Free Tax Prep for Self-Employed Filers provides free tax preparation services tailored to the needs of gig workers, freelancers and small business owners who often face barriers to filing taxes and managing financial recordkeeping. In addition to providing annual and quarterly estimated tax filling preparation assistance, workshops and one-on-one consultations help the growing number of New Yorkers who perform gig and freelance work to learn the basics of tax filing and recordkeeping best practices as self-employed filers. To be eligible for tax preparation services for self-employed filers, New Yorkers must have business expenses of $250,000 or below. New Yorkers can find a site with these specially trained tax preparers by selecting “Self-Employed/Schedule C Assistance” on the NYC Free Tax Prep Map site finder; Business owners can find upcoming workshops on the DCWP event calendar or request a workshop for your organization or community by completing an online form on the DCWP website.
Paid Tax Preparers:
The City encourages eligible filers to file for free with NYC Free Tax Prep but consumers who use a paid tax preparer should ask the preparer for the Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers (additional languages available), read it carefully before having their taxes prepared. Consumers should also be on alert for predatory tax preparers that overcharge, charge hidden fees, or file their return without permission.
New Yorkers can call 311 or visit nyc.gov/taxprep to choose the best filing option for them and find the most convenient location if choosing in-person or drop-off tax prep. A checklist of what documents New Yorkers need to bring with them to file and multilingual information about the services are available at nyc.gov/taxprep. In-person services are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian-Creole, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, Urdu and others to come. Visit nyc.gov/taxprep to stay up to date and join the #FreeTaxPrep conversation on DCWP’s social media channels.