Mayor Adams Reminds New Yorkers To File Taxes During Last Week Of Tax Season

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today issued a reminder to New Yorkers to remember to file their taxes as the city and the nation enter the last week of the 2023 tax season.

The reminder comes on the heels of Mayor Adams’ successful push last year in Albany to expand and enhance the New York City Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which is available to eligible New Yorkers this year.

“The end of tax season is around the corner, which is why we are encouraging all New Yorkers to take advantage of all the resources available to them and file their taxes as soon as they can,” said Mayor Adams. “Thanks to our expansion of NYC Free Tax Prep, more New Yorkers can get free tax help and get their taxes filed quickly and easily. And with the increase our administration secured in the New York City Earned Income Tax Credit, eligible New Yorkers can expect to get more money back on their return and in their pockets. Let’s finish this tax season strong.”

“As we approach the final days of tax season 2023, we want to remind all New Yorkers to file their taxes as soon as possible and to take advantage of NYC Free Tax Prep services if you qualify,” said New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “Thank you to Mayor Adams for expanding the New York City EITC, helping more New Yorkers get even more of their hard-earned money back to help with essentials, and to all of our NYC Free Tax Prep partners for helping thousands of residents get their full refund!”

NYC Free Tax Prep helps New Yorkers meet the full potential of their refunds, including valuable tax credits like the enhanced New York City EITC, at no cost to them. Single-filing New Yorkers who earned $56,000 or less in 2022, or families who earned $80,000 or less, are eligible for NYC Free Tax Prep. The new NYC Free Tax Prep for self-employed New Yorkers provides year-round tax preparation services for gig workers, freelancers, and small business owners who often struggle to file taxes and manage financial record-keeping and who face limited access to capital, banking services, and loans.

Self-employed individuals and owners of businesses can work with specially trained preparers on their annual return and, later this year, quarterly estimated tax filings, including workshops, one-on-one consultations, and other resources on record-keeping and tax filing. Services are available in-person, online, and through drop-off, and in multiple languages. For more information about NYC Free Tax Prep, tax credits, and more, New Yorkers can visit the New York City’s tax prep website or call 311 and say “Tax Prep.”

NYC Free Tax Prep Services include:

• In-Person Tax Prep — sit down with a volunteer preparer: At in-person tax prep sites, knowledgeable Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)/Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) volunteer preparers help eligible filers complete an accurate tax return. Over 140 sites are currently open across the city.
• Drop-off Service — drop off documents and pick up completed returns later: With drop-off service, filers can drop off their tax documents and pick up their completed returns 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 eligible 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 one’s 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 2021 adjusted gross income or self-select PIN.

New Yorkers can call 311 or visit New York City’s tax prep website to choose the best filing option for themselves 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 online. In-person services are available in English, Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. Over-the-phone interpretation for other languages is also available.

Last year, thanks to efforts by Mayor Adams, the state Legislature, and the City Council, the adopted state budget increased the state and city match to the federal EITC for the first time in nearly 20 years. After the city committed $250 million annually to the New York City EITC, it received a one-time state payment of $100 million. Under the city’s expansion of this program, a single parent with one child and an annual income of $14,750 or less will see their benefit rise from $187 to $933 — a 400-percent increase. A married couple with two children and an annual income of $25,000 will see their New York City benefit grow from $308 to $925 under the city payment — a 200-percent increase. The expansion of the New York City EITC will help approximately 800,000 New Yorkers be able to better afford essential items like food, rent, and utilities, as well as promote a more equitable recovery across the city.

Last month, Mayor Adams announced the launch of a $1.5 million multimedia marketing campaign to promote the expanded New York City EITC. The marketing campaign is running on television, radio, social media, in print, and out-of-home advertising (i.e. billboards, posters, or any other forms of media consumed outside the home) to promote the enhanced benefit and provide information on how eligible New Yorkers can access it.