The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today reminded New Yorkers who obtained a six-month extension that they must file their personal income tax returns on or before Tuesday, October 15.

“We expect around 500,000 returns to be filed ahead of the extension deadline next week,” said New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Michael Schmidt. “To help filers meet the deadline, we provide a range of free filing resources available anytime on our website, www.tax.ny.gov.”

The Tax Department expects to process a total of nearly 11.2 million personal income tax returns in 2019.

Tax tips for taxpayers filing on extension

Access your Account Summary. This page provides a central location for viewing details of your tax account. You can view prepayments to accurately report them on your tax return when filing. This includes estimated tax payments made throughout the year, any overpayment carried forward from the previous year, as well as payments made with your request for an extension of time to file.

E-file for free. Taxpayers with adjusted gross household incomes of $66,000 or less in 2018 may access free, user-friendly software from their computer, smartphone, or tablet at www.tax.ny.gov (search: Free File). Last year, more than 155,000 taxpayers took advantage of the free-filing options available on the Tax Department website. The tax preparation software helps prevent filing errors and processing delays. It also helps ensure that filers don’t overlook potentially valuable credits.

Check your refund online. If you’re eager to find out the status of your claim for an income tax refund, use the Check your Refund application on our website: www.tax.ny.gov. It’s the fastest and most convenient way to know when to expect your refund. You’ll need to enter the refund amount you're claiming, your Social Security number, and which form you filed.

Communicate directly with the Tax Department. If you receive a letter asking for documentation to support entries on your return, it doesn't mean that you did anything wrong. It's one of several steps the Tax Department takes to ensure that returns and refunds claimed are accurate. The goal is to stop questionable returns and refund claims, not to delay refunds owed.

Visit the Individual Taxpayer Answer Center. You can find answers to common tax questions by searching our database of frequently asked questions (FAQs).