Senator Stavisky, Councilman Koo and Queens Library Announce Department of Taxation and Finance’s Free Online Tax Assistance Program

Flushing, NY—Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing), joined by Councilman Peter Koo, announced a free online tax assistance program for those with a household income under $62,000. The program, sponsored by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, will be hosted by the Queens Library Flushing and Queensboro Hill branches through April.

Ninety-two percent of New York filers, file their taxes electronically, as it is considered to be one of the safest, most accurate ways to file. In fact, the error rate for e-filed returns is 20 times lower than for paper returns. If your combined income for 2015 did not exceed $62,000, you can e-file for free, plus, if you qualify for a tax refund, you’ll get it far faster than if you filed a paper return.

In accordance with the large immigrant population in Flushing, services will be offered in English, Mandarin and Korean; Mandarin-, Korean- and Japanese-speaking volunteers will be available at the Queensboro Hill branch.

“Tax season is stressful for everyone, but even more so for low-income families who often cannot afford to hire outside help work on their tax forms.” State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said. “The free support provided by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will help get more people to join the 92 percent of New Yorkers who file electronically, leading to lower error rates and faster tax refunds for those who qualify. What’s more, the service will be offered in Mandarin and Korean, to help new immigrants navigate the often confusing tax process. Thank you to the Department of Taxation and Finance as well as the Queens Library for providing this service.”

“As tax season begins, this service can be a great help to low-income families and individuals in need of an affordable way to complete their tax returns,” Councilman Peter Koo said. “As we all know, navigating the intricacies of our tax system can be a confusing labyrinth, especially for new immigrants. I’d like to thank Senator Stavisky, Queens Library and the Department of Taxation and Finance for providing this needed service.”

Tax filers who want to learn more about e-file can visit the Tax Department’s website at www.tax.ny.gov.

###