In an effort to serve an ever-larger number of personal income taxpayers, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will extend the hours of operation at its Taxpayer Information Call Center now through the last day of the filing season, April 15.

Normally the Call Center – which handled more than 1 million calls during last year’s tax season – operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. 

With extended hours, however, it will remain open from 8:30 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday, and from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturdays.

The call center’s phone number is 518-457-5181.

“This is part of our continuous effort to provide a higher level of service to all of New York’s personal income taxpayers,” said Commissioner Thomas H. Mattox.

Free E-File Locations

New this year, Department employees are staffing “facilitated self-assisted” e-file sites at eight locations in some of New York’s most populated areas, including Brooklyn, Buffalo and Flushing.  

• List of locations, dates and times

Taxpayers can e-file their own returns at these locations, with Tax Department employees available to answer questions and provide assistance.  The self-service sites make it possible for a few trained volunteers to help thousands of eligible taxpayers.  

New Web File option

The Commissioner reminded New Yorkers to e-file, adding that, if their income is under $58,000, they’re eligible to prepare both federal and state return using free tax preparation software accessed via the Tax Department’s Web site. Eligible taxpayers should be sure to access the software from the Tax Department's Web site to ensure they're not unexpectedly charged to prepare their state return.

Taxpayers who have already filed their federal returns – or who only need to file a state return – can prepare and e-file their New York State return directly with the Tax Department using a new "Web File" option.   

With the addition of Web File, 85% of New Yorkers can prepare and e-file their income taxes for free.

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