The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today reminded New York taxpayers waiting for their refund to use the Check your Refund tool on the Tax Department website: www.tax.ny.gov. It’s the fastest and most convenient way to know when to expect your refund.

“Our refund tracker is available whenever you are, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Acting Commissioner Nonie Manion. “It provides the same information available to our phone representatives.”

To receive an email about when your refund will be issued, visit our website at www.tax.ny.gov to sign up for a refund alert. You can subscribe at the bottom of our home page. In addition to refund information, you can also sign up to receive alerts about new publications and guidance, tax law changes, and press releases. For more information, please visit our website’s Email services page.

Don’t have a computer or smart phone? The Tax Department’s automated refund status phone line is available any time at 518-457-5149.

Since the personal income tax filing season began in January, the Tax Department has processed 7 million returns and issued $2.6 billion in refunds to date. It expects to pay out an additional $2.75 billion in refunds through the end of the filing season.

File ahead of the April 18 deadline

The deadline to file 2016 tax returns and pay any tax due is Tuesday, April 18, 2017, rather than the traditional April 15 date. In 2017, April 15 falls on a Saturday and Emancipation Day—a legal holiday in Washington, D.C.—will be observed on Monday, April 17.