NEW YORK STATE —The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance encourages taxpayers to know their rights when hiring a tax preparer. New York State’s Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers establishes standards to help protect the public from dishonest tax preparers. The deadline to file returns and pay any tax owed (or request an extension of time to file) is midnight on April 15, 2026.

“The vast majority of tax preparers are honest professionals. However, some take advantage of their position of trust to scam customers out of their hard-earned money,” said New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller. “The Tax Department offers multiple ways to file your own taxes for free through our website, www.tax.ny.gov. Should you decide to pay for a preparer, I encourage you to review the Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers to protect yourself.”

In New York State, registered tax return preparers must:

• post their New York State Tax Preparer Registration Certificate and price list;

• tell you up front whether they will represent you if your return is audited later;

• ask you about your income, expenses, family, and any other information or documents needed to accurately complete your return;

• allow you to review your completed return – including your bank account information – and ask questions before you sign it;

• give you a written statement of any interest and fees you will be charged if you choose a refund anticipation loan (refund advance) or a refund anticipation check (refund transfer) instead of having your refund deposited directly into your bank account;

• sign your tax return and enter the preparer tax identification number (PTIN) and New York tax preparer identification number (NYTPRIN), if applicable;

• e-file your tax return;

• give you a year-round address and phone number you can use if you have questions or concerns about your return; and

• provide you with a copy of your filed return.

If your tax preparer does not comply with the requirements in the Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers, you can file a complaint online with the Tax Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

Tax return preparers must also:

• post Publication 135.1, Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers (which is also available in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Yiddish, Bengali, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish); and

• provide you with a free copy of Publication 135, Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers, or the New York City Consumer Bill of Rights, prior to any discussions.

Tax Department investigators conduct compliance checks during the personal income tax filing season to ensure that tax preparers are following the requirements. Tax preparers who fail to do so will be subject to fines and potential suspension of their tax preparer registration.

Verify your tax return preparer’s credentials

Certain tax return preparers must register annually with the Tax Department and post copies of their current Registration Certificate.

To confirm your tax return preparer’s credentials, see Verify your tax return preparer or facilitator.

Free filing options save on tax preparation costs

Before hiring a tax preparer, the Tax Department encourages taxpayers to check their eligibility to file for free. Many New Yorkers are eligible to file their federal and New York State returns at no cost through the Tax Department website using Free File. Hundreds of thousands of New York State taxpayers take advantage of this truly free service each year, saving them on average $269 in tax preparation fees.

Taxpayers who may not qualify for Free File still have other options, including some other free ones that may work for them. See other e-file options to learn more.

-Information from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance