With this year’s Tax Day less than a month away, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, and Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans are raising awareness about tax credits that may be at New Yorkers’ disposal, to ensure taxpayers receive the benefits they have earned. Additionally, Attorney General James urged New Yorkers to stay vigilant and report any suspected tax scams to her office.
“Tax season may feel overwhelming to many New Yorkers, but thankfully there are resources available to lighten the load,” said Attorney General James. “I encourage all New Yorkers to take advantage of the organizations dedicated to helping out during the tax preparation process, and to utilize all of the tax breaks for which you qualify. Additionally, please stay vigilant against bad actors trying to take advantage, and you can always report concerns and complaints to my office.”
As part of their ongoing efforts to help New Yorkers file their taxes safely and help reduce the stress the tax filing process can cause, the officials want to ensure New Yorkers are aware of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Free Filing program (https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free). Additionally, New York state has the Taxpayer Assistance Program (TAP) under which eligible New Yorkers can receive free virtual tax assistance from the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance (https://www.tax.ny.gov/tap/). There are Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites where New Yorkers can get their tax returns prepared free of charge (https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers). Locally, Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope (CASH), a community coalition, offers free tax preparation for eligible residents (https://roccitylibrary.org/spotlight/taxes/). Anyone using a tax preparer is encouraged to check their qualifications and history through the Better Business Bureau and consult New York’s Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers.
Attorney General James, County Executive Bello, and Mayor Evans also remind New Yorkers filing their taxes to apply for tax credits, which can reduce the amount of income tax you owe. Major programs available for eligible New Yorkers include the Empire State child credit, the property tax relief credit, the earned income credit, the solar energy system equipment credit, and many more. For more information about available tax credits, please visit New York state’s Department of Taxation and Finance income tax credit page, https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/credits/income_tax_credits.htm.
Additionally, the officials urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant against deceptive tax preparer schemes. One scheme to be aware of is tax preparers who deceptively claim to get your tax refund quicker, but will charge high interest rates and fees in the form of Tax Refund Advance Loans. Additional schemes include tax preparers who manipulate your financials to illegally inflate your tax return, and fraudsters who make false promises of free tax preparation services, only to deceive people into paying for those services.
Any New Yorker who suspects that they are a victim of a scam are encouraged to report it to the Office of the Attorney General by submitting a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755. Tax scams should also be reported to the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.
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