New York Mayor Mamdani, along with the Director of the City’s Consumer and Worker Protection Bureau and executives from public hospitals, announced on the 3rd their continuous commitment to providing free in-person and online tax filing services for eligible residents. They also emphasized a strengthened oversight of paid tax preparers to prevent overcharging.
During the press conference, Mayor Mamdani noted that for many families, tax preparation fees have become an additional burden, impacting the actual benefits of tax refunds. The city aims to collaborate across agencies to enable residents to complete their tax filings at zero cost, ensuring they receive the refunds and tax credits they are entitled to under the law.
The “NYC Free Tax Prep” program, a collaboration between the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) and IRS-certified volunteer units, offers free and professional tax preparation services. Eligible taxpayers are those residing or working in New York City with a household income not exceeding $97,000 annually or individual income with no dependents not exceeding $68,000 annually. The city estimates that nearly half of its residents meet the eligibility criteria. Currently, there are over 140 service locations citywide, including some within the New York City Health + Hospitals system (NYC H+H) and MetroPlusHealth facilities, offering multilingual assistance.
Samuel Levine, the Director of the Consumer and Worker Protection Bureau, highlighted that many residents have to pay hundreds of dollars in tax preparation fees annually, which is equivalent to eroding a significant portion of their yearly tax refund. With the IRS discontinuing the free “Direct File” service, the city deems providing professional free services more crucial. This tax season, the city will also step up inspections of paid tax preparation sites, issue compliance notices, and remind preparers not to overcharge or conceal fees, while requiring consumers to request a “Tax Preparation Consumer Rights Statement” before payment. The focus of enforcement is on combating misconduct and misleading practices, not targeting law-abiding professional accountants.
Nicola Davis, the Vice President of the New York City Health + Hospitals system, emphasized the close link between financial stress and health outcomes, stating that assisting individuals in obtaining tax refunds and credits helps alleviate psychological pressure and enhance overall well-being. Since 2018, free tax filing services have expanded from a single pilot site to 15 healthcare system locations this year.
The city stated that the free tax filing services encompass various formats, including in-person filing by IRS-certified volunteers, drop-off services, online video filing, and assisted self-filing, catering to student loan inquiries and tax needs of some self-employed individuals and small business owners. Most locations provide multilingual services, and when language support is not available on-site, assistance can be provided through an IRS-approved telephone interpretation system.
The IRS began accepting tax filings on January 26th, with the deadline set for April 15th. The city reminds residents that even if the deadline is missed, some free tax filing sites offer year-round assistance for late filings and past year filings. Residents can dial 311 or visit nyc.gov/TaxPrep for inquiries on nearby service locations and eligible options.