Online activity generates immense trails of data. Websites, apps, and services collect information on behaviors, interests, and purchases as well as other sensitive data such as Social Security and driver’s license numbers or health information.

The State Office of Information Technology Services says New Yorkers can keep their personal information private and secure, preventing identity theft and fraud by doing the following:

• File promptly using e-file and direct deposit of your tax refund. Filing your tax returns as soon as possible can reduce the likelihood that an identity thief will be able to claim a fraudulent tax refund using your stolen information. Filing electronically is also safer, faster, and more efficient than sending paper returns through the mail.

Visit the State Tax Department website at tax.ny.gov to review different Free File options.

• Protect data and documents used to prepare your return. Keep sensitive personal information and documents safe during and after the filing process and delete or shred once no longer needed.

Be wary of phishing schemes, including texts, unsolicited emails and telephone calls asking for personal information. Never share personal information, such as your Social Security number, in response to an unsolicited email or telephone call. If the email or call claims to be from a company with which you do business, call it first to confirm the contact is legitimate.

Scammers will also use scare tactics and threats related to tax debt to get you to share your personal and financial information.

Be cautious about the information shared on social media. Avoid posting birthdates, telephone numbers, home addresses, or images that identify employment or hobbies.

• Use strong passwords.

If you’re a victim or believe you may be a victim of tax-related identity theft, alert the State Tax Department immediately at https://www.tax.ny.gov/help/contact/fraud/.

Governor Kathy Hochul presents her 2024 State Budget

Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled her $227 billion state budget for 2024-25.

This budget is $5 billion more than the current year, with a 2.4% increase in all spending.

Hochul said public safety is her top priority, budgeting $337 million.

She is proposing $40 million for funding discovery law changes that have required local prosecutors to make evidence available to defense counsel on a fast basis. The budget also backs $20 million for pre-trial services.

Hochul has also proposed $50 million to aid communities affected by gun violence and $35 million in capital grants for combating hate crimes.

Annual school aid will increase $3.1 billion, or 10%, for a total of amount of $34.5 billion. This includes fully funding the Foundation Aid formula for the first time in 17 years.

Also under education spending is $125 million to expand full day pre-kindergarten and $250 million for tutoring programs to help students recover from learning loss.

As previously announced, Hochul allocated $1 billion toward Mental Health with that multi-year funding going toward the creation of 1,000 inpatient beds, $30 million to expand school-based mental health care, and increased funding for outpatient services.

Hochul wants to expand housing in the state by building 800,000 new units, counting those that are already in development. The budget includes a plan that would allow projects to move ahead over the objections of local zoning regulations if a community is failing to meet targets. Funding for housing includes $250 million for infrastucture support and $20 million for planning assistance.

Child care assistance will receive a $7.4 billion increase over four years. Hochul said this is the most ever. The budget also would provide instant eligibility for child care assistance for anyone receiving government support. Co-pays would be lowered and more support is being proposed for child care providers.

Under health care, the budget seeks to address access issues by adding more than $1 billion in health care capital funding, expanding Medicaid coverage for 7.8 million low-income New Yorkers, and improving access to aging services and high-quality long-term care.

However, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) President Michael Zurlo said Hochul’s budget includes an “unprecedented shift that will saddle local taxpayers” with up to $1 billion in new Medicaid costs by pocketing Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Program (eFMAP) funds that were intended to go directly to local governments to help hold costs

While there is no personal income tax increase in Hochul’s budget, she is proposing to extend a higher tax rate for wealthy corporations that had been set to expire at the end of the year.

In 2021, former Governor Andrew Cuomo had increased the tax rate for corporations taking in at least $5 million a year in revenue from 6.5% to 7.25%. The increase was only supposed to be temporary and set to end after three years, but Hochul wants to extend it for another three years. The extension would bring in between $800 million and $1.1 billion annually. Democrats are expected to support the extension.

The State Legislature now has until April 1 to approve a fiscal plan.

United Way VITA volunteers

Free tax preparation appointments are now available through the United Way.

The United Ways of Chautauqua County are again offering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, or VITA, for individuals who make less than $73,000 a year, persons with disabilities, people over 60 years of age, or people who are limited English speakers.

VITA utilizes local volunteers, certified by the IRS, to prepare income tax returns at no charge.
United Way officials say the goal of VITA is to ensure that 100% of the refund amount is returned to the taxpayer. Last year, the VITA program generated $2,242,278 in refunds, with volunteers logging more than 3,500 hours of service to the community.

Traditional in-person appointments and drop off sites for virtual tax preparation are available across Chautauqua County. Common issues that cannot be addressed by the VITA Program include income from rental property, farming, or businesses which manage an inventory or show a loss for the tax year. VITA Volunteers will determine if any items are out of scope at time of service.

Pre-scheduling is required for both in person and drop off appointments:

• The Prendergast Library
• Community Connections at Findley Lake (drop off only)
• Sinclairville Library
• United Way of Southern Chautauqua County (drop off only)
• Mayville Library
• Silver Creek Library
• United Way of Northern Chautauqua County
• SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator
• Westfield YWCA

To schedule an appointment for free tax assistance, dial 2-1-1 or call toll-free at 888-696-9211. You can also text your zip code to 898211 (messaging and data rates apply.) A service representative will then direct you to the appropriate location to schedule your appointment.
Once your appointment is confirmed, please bring the following:

• Proof of identification (photo ID.)
• Social Security cards for you, your spouse, and dependents.
• An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter may be substituted for you, your spouse, and your dependents if you do not have a Social Security number.
• Birth dates for you, your spouse, and dependents on the tax return.
• Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R,1099-NEC, 1099-MISC) from all employers.
• Unemployment statement
• Interest, dividend, and brokerage statements from banks (Forms 1099.)
• Education and student loan documents (1098T, 1098E)
• A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available.
• Proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit such as a blank check.
• Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider’s tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number.
• Form 1095-A.
• Copies of income transcripts from IRS and state, if applicable.
• To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

In lieu of an appointment, taxpayers can also use the self-preparation portal at http://www.MyFreeTaxes.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: As a point of transparency and disclosure to our audience, United Way of Southern Chautauqua County is a corporate underwriter for WRFA and has provided a financial contribution for the general operations of the station within the past year. Funding we receive for General Operations is not used to fund our coverage of local news in the community. That is only made possible through a Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

Taxpayers either visited a traditional VITA preparation site, opted for virtual preparation, or completed their tax returns using MyFreeTaxes.com.

For the first time this year, United Way of Northern Chautauqua County and United Way of Southern Chautauqua County shared a VITA Program Administrator, who provided support and coordination to 58 volunteers. These volunteers prepared taxes, assisted with intake information, and provided site coordination—logging more than 3,500 hours of service to the community.

In addition, United Way collaborated with the Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, who shared 6 volunteers with the VITA program, providing translation services and tax return preparation. The Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union program prepared more than 780 tax returns.

VITA Volunteers

VITA Income Tax appointments are now available in Chautauqua County.

The United Way of Southern Chautauqua County Executive Director Amy Rohler said the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program was created by Congress about 50 years ago, “It was meant to really make sure that people who were eligible and households that were eligible had a way to get their taxes done for free by a certified individual who is a volunteer. And it’s been going strong for a long time just nationally and in Chautauqua County I believe it’s been more than 20 years.”

Households that make $73,000 or less qualify for the free service in Chautauqua County.

United Way Finance and Administration Manager Lisa Sunday said there are some things the volunteers are unable to do as part of the tax preparation, including document retention, “Because we’re volunteers and the program doesn’t retain any documents from year to year. So things like depreciation on a home business expenses and things like that we’re not allowed to do, so no farms, no business losses greater and no business expenses greater than $25,000. So we can even see some small businesses.”

In 2021, VITA volunteers in Chautauqua County prepared and filed income taxes for more than 466 households, generating $648,239 in refunds.

Traditional in-person appointments and drop off sites for virtual tax preparation are available across Chautauqua County. Appointments are required for both in person and drop off appointments:

• The Prendergast Library
• Community Connections at Findley Lake (drop off only)
• Sinclairville Library
• United Way of Southern Chautauqua County (drop off only)
• Mayville Library
• Silver Creek Library
• United Way of Northern Chautauqua County
• SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator
• Westfield YWCA

In-person tax preparation is available only to individuals who are vaccinated against COVID-19. Masks are required for in-person and drop-off preparation regardless of vaccination status.

To schedule an appointment for free tax assistance, dial 2-1-1 or call toll-free 1-888-696-9211. You can also text your zip code to 898211.

Reed, in his weekly media call, said January 24 was the first day taxpayers could file and that he recommends residents use e-file and choose direct deposit for the quickest return that most are entitled to.

Reed said he was part of a call with the IRS Commissioner Tuesday where they encouraged the agency to get staffing back to normal as soon as possible to deal with the backlog from the 2020 tax season, “In 2021 along, our office handled 871 IRS cases directly. That meant we were helping people waiting on returns, helped people get amended returns, helping constituents communicate with the IRS, using the taxpayer advocate office as much as we possibly can.”

Reed said the Pandemic was partly to blame for the backlog with new policies and processes needing to be adopted so employees could work remotely, “The other issue is, obviously we were changing a tremendous amount of rules especially like the child tax credit for 2021. And so that caused a new set of understandings that had to go through this agency to get educated on. Who’s eligible, who’s not eligible, a lot of confusion on people in regards to that.”

Reed said in conversations with the IRS over the last ten years, they’ve encouraged the agency to embrace technology and to show plans for how what they’re doing benefits customers before Congress approves additional resources.

The federal tax filing deadline this year is Monday, April 18. That’s the day by which taxpayers must have filed their 2021 individual return and paid any remaining federal income taxes owed for last year.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance states if your 2021 income is $73,000 or less, you can file both your federal and New York State returns at no cost through the Tax Department website using Free File.

The department said nearly 255,000 taxpayers used this software last year, which saved them a combined $51 million in tax preparation fees.

Those who make over $73,000 can visit https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/efile/other-efile-options.htm for other filing options.

When you’re ready to file, the Department of Taxation and Finance suggests you first gather information and documentation. If you received unemployment compensation, remember to request a Form 1099-G from the Department of Labor.

After you file, get the most up-to-date information about your refund and your return at https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/file/refund.htm or, if necessary, call (518) 457-5149.

Unlike most year, Tax Day falls on the 17th this year, due to a combination of the 15th falling on a Sunday and a holiday unique to Washington, D.C. – Emancipation Day – hitting on Monday the 16th.

As a result of the deadline, Tuesday is not only the deadline to file income tax returns, but also the last day to make a contribution to an individual retirement account for it to count against 2017 income, the deadline to file a tax extension, and the day when quarterly estimated tax payments are due for those who make them.

In 2019, Tax Day will return to the usual April 15.

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Audio from Congressman Tom Reed’s (R-Corning, NY 23) Town Hall Meeting, which was held on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017 at the Kennedy Volunteer Fire Department in Kennedy, NY.

The congressman used the town hall as an opportunity to discuss the GOP Tax Reform plan with constituents, as well as address other questions, comments and concerns they brought forward, including those related to the FCC’s recent repeal of Net Neutrality regulations.

There’s somewhat good news for folks who are in a rush and may not have filed properly. Officials say the chances of getting audited are the lowest in years. Budget cuts and new responsibilities are straining the Internal Revenue Service’s ability to check returns for errors. Last year, the IRS audited less than one percent of all returns from individuals, the lowest rate since 2005.

This year it’s expected to be even lower because the IRS will have fewer agents auditing returns than at any time since at least the 1980s. IRS officials said one in five people wait to the last week to file, and two in five do it in the last two weeks.

According to the IRS, nearly 100 million people have already filed their taxes of out about 135 million expected filers. They said about 90 percent of tax returns are filed electronically and 78.8 million people get refunds. The average refund is $2,792, which is about $220 billion in refunds.