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Department of Consumer Affairs Kicks Off the 2019 Tax Season
January 25, 2019
New Yorkers Earning $66,000 or Less Can File for Free with NYC Free Tax Prep at More Than 150 Sites Citywide or Online
NEW YORK, NY – Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Lorelei Salas today, on Earned Income Tax Credit—or EITC—Awareness Day, kicked off the 2019 tax season with the launch of the Agency’s 17th annual tax season campaign and encouraged New Yorkers who earned $66,000 or less to file for free using NYC Free Tax Prep. With the largest piece of tax reform in more than three decades recently passed by Congress, New Yorkers can file confidently with knowledgeable volunteer preparers who can provide professional guidance on how these new rules will affect each filer at no cost.
“We have helped New Yorkers file more than 1 million returns for free and claim refund-boosting tax credits that can be pivotal in helping them pay bills, reduce debt, and save for their future,” said DCA Commissioner Lorelei Salas. “We know New Yorkers have concerns about the new tax rules, and in times like these, New Yorkers can and should rely on our trusted and professional free tax prep services. Many New Yorkers qualify to file for free with NYC Free Tax Prep, which is committed to getting New Yorkers every penny of their hard-earned refund, especially since it can be one of the largest checks a family receives all year.”
About 2019 NYC Free Tax Prep:
NYC Free Tax Prep services include more than 150 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)/Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and AARP Tax-Aide sites citywide, as well as online self-preparation at nyc.gov/taxprep. Sites across the city are now open with additional sites opening next week as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) begins to accept returns on January 28. New Yorkers can call 311 or visit nyc.gov/taxprep and use DCA’s interactive map to search for the most convenient free tax site. A checklist of what New Yorkers need to bring with them to file is available at nyc.gov/taxprep.
NYC Free Tax Prep services include more than 150 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)/Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and AARP Tax-Aide sites citywide, as well as online self-preparation at nyc.gov/taxprep. Sites across the city are now open with additional sites opening next week as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) begins to accept returns on January 28. New Yorkers can call 311 or visit nyc.gov/taxprep and use DCA’s interactive map to search for the most convenient free tax site. A checklist of what New Yorkers need to bring with them to file is available at nyc.gov/taxprep.
Free tax filing options for New York City residents include:
- For most sites, New Yorkers with an annual income of $54,000 or less with children - or $30,000 or less without children - can visit a tax site in the five boroughs. At the sites, returns can be prepared in-person by an IRS certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparer or dropped-off to be completed by the preparer. At the convenient drop-off sites, filers can drop off their tax documents and return later to pick up the completed return or receive it by email.
- New Yorkers earning less than $66,000 can file their taxes online for free at nyc.gov/taxprep. The City partners with MyFreeTaxes, powered by H&R Block and in partnership with United Way Worldwide, to offer these services.
- DCA’s second annual NYC Free Tax Prep-a-Thon, an all-day tax filing marathon and resource fair on Saturday, February 9 in all five boroughs. Attendees who earned $54,000 or less in 2018 can have their taxes filed for free. Free screening for local, state, and federal health and human service benefits will also be available to help individuals find out if they are eligible. This family friendly event will offer fun activities for kids and a resource fair for individuals to learn more about the many City resources available to all New Yorkers. Visit DCA’s event calendar for more details.
“I encourage New York City public school families and staff to take advantage of NYC Free Tax Prep and free tax sites,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “These initiatives support awareness, access, and equity for so many families across the City, and I thank the Department of Consumer Affairs for doing its part to make New York City the fairest big city in America.”
“Ariva is excited to begin its 16th season of free income tax preparation for hardworking New Yorkers,” said Ambernicole Misserello, Volunteer Manager at Ariva, Inc. in the South Bronx. “This year, we will serve 9,500 filers at 12 sites around the Bronx, as well as at the Mexican Consulate in Manhattan. A great many of our clients are eligible for EITC and the refund they receive is often the largest lump sum cash payment they receive all the year. The EITC is invaluable to helping our tax clients save and plan for the future. If you work, even if you don't know if you are eligible for the EITC, we urge you to come get your taxes prepared at Ariva or at one of the many other NYC Free Tax Prep sites around the city. These sites provide expert, professional tax services that are always completely free of charge. Come check us out.”
“The Bronx NHS CDC is excited to begin its third season of free income tax preparation for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers, in collaboration with DCA,” said Oscar Morillo, Executive Director of the Bronx NHS CDC. “This year, we will serve 1,200 families through our three sites around the Bronx. A considerable number of our clients are eligible for the EITC and the refund they receive is often the largest lump sum cash payment they receive all the year. The EITC is invaluable to helping our tax clients save and plan for the future. We urge EITC clients to come get your taxes prepared at the Bronx NHs CDC sites or at one of the many other NYC Free Tax Prep sites around the city. These sites provide expert, professional tax services that are always completely free of charge.”
“Now entering our third year, the NYC Free Tax Prep program has allowed Chhaya to take our financial stability programs to a whole new level of impact,” said Annetta Seecharan, Executive Director of Chhaya CDC. “We have served countless immigrant households and families, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars in refunds to the historically underserved South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities. With the opening of Chhaya’s New Richmond Hill Center, we will provide in-language services in two Queens locations: Jackson Heights, and Richmond Hill. Our tax-preparers provide services in Hindi, Punjabi, Bangla, and Spanish.”
“When working families are able to get their taxes done for free, the refunds and credits they receive lets them pay bills, keep the roof over their heads and put food on their tables,” said Margarette Purvis, President and CEO of Food Bank For New York City. “That’s why Food Bank For New York City is grateful to partner with the Department of Consumer Affairs as part of the NYC Free Tax Prep Program, and proud that our tax program has helped low-income New Yorkers secure more than $1 billion in tax refunds and credits since 2002. Free tax preparation options not only ensure New Yorkers receive the refunds and credits to which they are entitled in order to help them make ends meet, they put dollars back into communities, supporting our city’s economy.”
“Grow Brooklyn is excited to offer free tax prep services at eight Brooklyn locations, two in the Lower East Side, and one in Staten Island,” Samira Rajan, Executive Director of Grow Brooklyn. These services are not only vital because they are free of charge, but also because they allow individuals and families with low- to middle-incomes to take advantage of their full tax refund and earned tax credits. We look forward to another successful season providing high quality service to our community.”
These tax filing options build on the expansion of NYC Free Tax Prep that began in 2015 as part of the de Blasio Administration’s commitment to delivering essential services to New Yorkers with low and moderate incomes to help improve their financial stability. Since then, the City, with support from Citi Community Development, has invested directly in providers and expanded its public awareness campaign.
“With more than one million New Yorkers eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit, tax season has the potential to provide a vital financial lifeline to working families,” said Gregory Schiefelbein, Director, New York Tri State Region, Citi Community Development. “Through NYC Free Tax Prep, we aim to help ensure that financially vulnerable families derive the maximum benefit from this vital credit and access high quality, free tax preparation services that help alleviate persistent financial vulnerability for working New Yorkers.”
NYC Free Tax Prep Public Awareness Campaign:
The NYC Free Tax Prep multilingual public awareness campaign recognizes the anxiety many people feel when preparing their taxes and also stresses the savings in filing for free, claiming important tax credits, and getting your full refund. The campaign ads are running in the city’s subway cars, stations, bus shelters, LinkNYC, as well as in print, on radio and online. DCA is also conducting street marketing and extensive outreach, doing a targeted mailing to approximately 550,000 EITC-eligible New Yorkers and, with the help of the City’s tax season partners, distributing close to 400,000 informational brochures in multiple languages.
The NYC Free Tax Prep multilingual public awareness campaign recognizes the anxiety many people feel when preparing their taxes and also stresses the savings in filing for free, claiming important tax credits, and getting your full refund. The campaign ads are running in the city’s subway cars, stations, bus shelters, LinkNYC, as well as in print, on radio and online. DCA is also conducting street marketing and extensive outreach, doing a targeted mailing to approximately 550,000 EITC-eligible New Yorkers and, with the help of the City’s tax season partners, distributing close to 400,000 informational brochures in multiple languages.
NYC Free Tax Prep increases awareness about tax credits that put money back in the pockets of working New Yorkers, and helps qualifying New Yorkers file their taxes online for free. EITC is one of the largest poverty reduction programs in the U.S. and is a federal, state and New York City tax credit for qualifying families, non-custodial parents (NYS EITC only), and single individuals who work full time or part time or are self-employed. For working families in New York City, federal EITC claims average $2,411 and can be worth as much as $8,682 when combined with state and City credits. Families with low incomes who are employed or underemployed and have child care costs for children up to age four could also be eligible for up to $1,733 with the NYC CCTC. Combined, these credits can total more than $10,000.
Due to federal law, the PATH Act, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is required to hold refunds until at least February 15, 2019 for filers who claim EITC or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). Most refunds will then be issued in approximately 21 days from mid-February, which is almost three times as long as previous years. As a result, paid preparers are marketing “express refund advances” or “refund transfers” that result in a smaller refund, or unforeseen fees or interest.
“Let’s face it – tax season is stressful for just about everyone,” said Council Member Rafael Espinal. “For low-income people working to feed themselves and their families in a city where the cost of living has skyrocketed, that stress is even more acute. Fortunately, the Department of Consumer Affairs is ready to help New Yorkers get the refunds they are entitled to, so they can effectively plan for their financial future,”
“Every year, all New Yorkers struggle with the ordeal of completing their tax returns,” said Assembly Member Michael DenDekker. “Especially with complexities stemming from new federal, state, and local tax laws, New Yorkers should have access to tax professionals for free consultation. I applaud the Mayor’s office for making these tax services available for free to working-class New Yorkers.”
“Every year, all New Yorkers struggle with the ordeal of completing their tax returns,” said Assembly Member Michael DenDekker. “Especially with complexities stemming from new federal, state, and local tax laws, New Yorkers should have access to tax professionals for free consultation. I applaud the Mayor’s office for making these tax services available for free to working-class New Yorkers.”
For more information about NYC Free Tax Prep, visit nyc.gov/taxprep or call 311. You can also text “Taxes” to 42033 (message and data rates may apply) to find the nearest location and receive tax season updates and reminders and join the #FreeTaxPrep conversation on @NYCDCA’s social media channels.
Volunteer Preparer Recruitment
Member organizations in the NYC Free Tax Prep Coalition are actively recruiting volunteers to be NYC Free Tax Prep preparers. If you want to make a difference and help your neighbors claim more than $80,000 in refunds and tax preparation fee savings. become a volunteer preparer today—it only takes three easy steps: get trained, get certified, start making a difference. For more information, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/VolunteerTaxPreparer.
Member organizations in the NYC Free Tax Prep Coalition are actively recruiting volunteers to be NYC Free Tax Prep preparers. If you want to make a difference and help your neighbors claim more than $80,000 in refunds and tax preparation fee savings. become a volunteer preparer today—it only takes three easy steps: get trained, get certified, start making a difference. For more information, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/VolunteerTaxPreparer.
Paid Preparers
Consumers using a paid preparer should ask the preparer for a Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers (also available in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu) and read it thoroughly before having their taxes prepared, and also get DCA’s Tips Regarding Tax Preparers. Also read DCA’s Consumer Alert about paid preparers.
Consumers using a paid preparer should ask the preparer for a Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers (also available in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu) and read it thoroughly before having their taxes prepared, and also get DCA’s Tips Regarding Tax Preparers. Also read DCA’s Consumer Alert about paid preparers.
The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCA licenses more than 81,000 businesses in more than 50 industries and enforces key consumer protection, licensing, and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources and, by helping to resolve complaints, DCA protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance. Through its community outreach and the work of its offices of Financial Empowerment and Labor Policy & Standards, DCA empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need to be educated consumers and to achieve financial health and work-life balance. DCA also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCA and its work, call 311 or visit DCA at nyc.gov/dca or on its social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Abigail Lootens / Jade Acosta
(212) 436-0042
(212) 436-0042