FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MARСH 12, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
tax guide
Eligible New Yorkers can fi le for free with NYC Free Tax Prep
Department of Consumer and
Worker Protection (DCWP)
Commissioner Lorelei Salas
kicked off the 2020 tax season
with the launch of the Agency’s
18th annual tax season initiative
and encouraged New Yorkers
who earned $64,000 or less to
fi le for free using NYC Free Tax
Prep.
Commissioner Salas also
announced the Agency’s continued
expansion of NYC Free Tax
Prep with the addition of services
in neighborhoods and languages
previously underserved.
“Since 2014, we have helped
New Yorkers fi le more than
700,000 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
DCWP Commissioner Lorelei
Salas. “I am excited to continue
expanding NYC Free Tax
Prep this year and help connect
even more New Yorkers with our
trusted and professional tax prep
services to help ease the fi nancial
stress and frustration that
is oft en experienced during tax
season. I strongly encourage all
eligible New Yorkers to use this
service so that they can fi le their
taxes completely free and keep
every penny of their hard-earned
refund.”
DCWP has doubled the number
of community-based partners
that are funded by the
City to provide NYC Free Tax
Prep services and will now
have expanded service in Staten
Island and new locations in
South Brooklyn, as well as the
addition of services in Hebrew,
Korean, and Yiddish.
About 2020 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. 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 27.
New Yorkers can call 311 or
visit nyc.gov/taxprep and use
DCWP’s interactive map to
search for the most convenient
free tax site near them. A checklist
of what documents New
Yorkers need to bring with them
to fi le is available at nyc.gov/taxprep.
For most sites, New Yorkers
with an annual income of
$64,000 or less with children—
or $45,000 or less without children—
can visit a tax site in
the fi ve boroughs. At the sites,
returns can be prepared in-person
by an IRS certifi ed VITA/
TCE volunteer preparer or
dropped-off to be completed by
the preparer. At the convenient
drop-off sites, fi lers can drop off
their tax documents and return
later to pick up the completed
return or receive it by email.
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 fi le their
taxes. 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, EITC claims
can be worth as much as $8,852
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 Child
Care Tax Credit (NYC CCTC).
Information for
Consumers
Due to federal law, the PATH
Act, the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) is required to hold
refunds until at least mid-February
for fi lers who claim EITC or
the Additional Child Tax Credit
(ACTC). Most refunds will then
be issued in approximately 21
days from mid-February. As a
result, paid preparers are marketing
“express refund advances”
or “refund transfers” that result
in a smaller refund, or unforeseen
fees or interest.
For more information about
NYC Free Tax Prep, visit nyc.
gov/taxprep or call 311 and join
the #FreeTaxPrep conversation
on @NYCDCA’s social media
channels.
— Courtesy of the
Department of Consumer and
Worker Protection
/WWW.QNS.COM
/taxprep
