The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today reminded New Yorkers and others who may need to file a personal income tax return that the deadline to file and pay any taxes owed is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) Monday, April 15.

“We want to provide the most convenient and efficient filing experience possible,” said New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller. “The resources available at www.tax.ny.gov can help taxpayers quickly and easily meet their filing obligations before the filing deadline.”

Many New Yorkers qualify to e-file their state and federal taxes for free with the Direct File and Free File programs:

Direct File

New York State and the IRS have developed a new program that allows eligible New Yorkers to e-file their federal and state personal income tax returns for free. The Direct File pilot program is currently open to New Yorkers reporting certain types of income and claiming certain credits and adjustments.

Free File

Taxpayers may also be eligible to use Free File software to e-file their federal and state income tax returns—at no cost.To avoid fees, carefully review eligibility criteria for each software provider and access the Free File software directly from the Tax Department’s website: www.tax.ny.gov (search: Free File).

If you do not qualify to use one of New York’s Free File software providers, you still have choices. See Other e-file options on the Tax Department website to learn more.

Direct deposit your tax refund

Choosing direct deposit for your tax refund is the easiest and fastest way to get your refund. You'll also get peace of mind and reduce the risk of a lost or stolen paper check.

Check your refund status

After submitting a completed return, taxpayers can quickly view the status of their New York State tax refund anytime by using the Check your Refund application on the Tax Department website: www.tax.ny.gov (search: refund).

Estimated Tax Payments

If you made estimated tax payments in the previous year, review your tax account balance in your Individual Online Services account before you file to ensure you are reporting the correct amount on your return.

Get your questions answered

The most efficient way to obtain filing guidance and information, including answers to common questions, is to visit the Tax Department’s website, www.tax.ny.gov, and our Filing season resource center.

Need more time to file?

You can apply for an automatic extension of time to file if you’re unable to file a completed income tax return by the April 15 deadline. An extension will provide more time to prepare and file your return, but not more time to pay any tax owed. You must make full payment of the properly estimated tax balance owed when requesting an extension of time to file.