Mayor of the City of New York Zohran K. Mamdani, on Feb. 3, joined the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), NYC Health + Hospitals, and MetroPlusHealth to kick off the 2026 tax season by announcing free, in-person and virtual tax preparation services for New Yorkers as part of DCWP’s NYC Free Tax Prep initiative.
The mayor’s office said, “Last year, 110,000 returns were completed through NYC Free Tax Prep, saving New Yorkers an average of $346 in tax preparation fees per return and approximately $38.2 million citywide.”
This year, the administration is focused on pairing the free tax preparation program with compliance in the paid tax preparer industry to protect all New Yorkers from unfair fees, sketchy loan products, and other deceptive corporate activity. This will include a citywide sweep of paid tax preparer locations to ensure they are following the law, as well as compliance notices warning paid tax preparers of the City’s ban on illegal overcharging and hidden fees.
“New Yorkers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops or pay outrageous fees just to file their taxes,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “Through NYC Free Tax Prep, our administration is working across agencies to deliver exactly that—helping New Yorkers file for free, receive the tax refunds they’re owed, and avoid hidden fees and tax scams.”
The NYC Free Tax Prep program is available to anyone who lives or works in New York City and who earns $97,000 or less annually and files as a family, or those who earn $68,000 or less annually and file as an individual or couple without a dependent, making half of all New Yorkers eligible for the program.
Services are now available at over 140 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites across the city. Volunteer providers are equipped to connect filers with assistance for their questions about managing student loan debt.
New Yorkers can call 311 or visit nyc.gov/TaxPrep to use DCWP’s interactive map to find the most convenient free tax site near them, including at NYC Health + Hospitals and MetroPlusHealth sites.
“To New Yorkers: protect your budget and skip pricey paid tax preparation if you can. Our knowledgeable preparers will ensure you get your full refund and all credits you may be eligible for, like the recently enhanced Empire State Child Tax Credit,” said DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine. “This tax season, DCWP is ramping up efforts to protect New Yorkers from sketchy tax scams. And, as student loan borrowers face unprecedented confusion due to harmful policies at the federal level, NYC Free Tax Prep has never been more important,” said Levine.
“Financial stability is a fundamental contributor to overall health and well-being,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer Nichola Davis, MD, MS. “Since 2018, we have scaled our partnership with NYC Tax Prep from a single pilot site to 15 locations in 2026.
“By helping our patients secure free filing and tax credits, we are reducing some of the financial stress that often stands in the way of good health,” said Davis.
“New Yorkers should not have to choose between spending money on tax preparation services or rent, food, or childcare,” said Council Member Harvey Epstein. “As Chair of the Consumer and Worker Protection Committee, I applaud the Mayor and the DCWP’s initiatives to help thousands of low-income New Yorkers.”
“New Yorkers can once again access free, in‑person tax preparation at select MetroPlusHealth community offices, along with virtual support from trained volunteers,” said Dr. Talya Schwartz, President and Chief Executive Officer of MetroPlusHealth. “For many working families, no‑cost tax assistance can have a meaningful impact. MetroPlusHealth remains deeply committed to helping provide essential services — from helping individuals enroll in quality health insurance to offering free tax preparation. Whether someone requires comprehensive guidance or just a bit of support, our team stands ready to help them successfully file their taxes.”
“Gotham Health is proud to participate in the NYC Free Tax Prep initiative and to offer this vital service directly in our health centers across New York City. We believe access to high-quality care must also include access to the financial resources that support healthier lives,” said Michelle Lewis, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health.
“We encourage eligible New Yorkers to schedule an appointment and take advantage of free support to file accurately and claim the credits and refunds they have earned,” said Lewis.
NYC Free Tax Prep services include:
*In-Person Tax Preparation: At in-person tax prep sites, knowledgeable Internal Revenue Service (IRS) certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) volunteer preparers help filers complete an accurate tax return. More than 140 sites across all 5 boroughs will be open throughout the season.
*Drop-Off Service: With drop-off service, filers can drop off their tax documents and pick up the completed return later.
*Virtual Tax Preparation: Virtual Tax Preparation is an online service where an IRS-certified VITA or TCE volunteer preparer will video conference with filers to help prepare their tax return using a secure digital system. Filers can submit photos or scans of tax documents to the preparer, confirm their identity, and complete their return by video call with a preparer. Filers will need access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone, a stable internet connection, and the ability to download secure video-conferencing software.
*Assisted Self-Preparation: Assisted Self-Preparation allows filers to complete their tax return online on their own, and an IRS-certified VITA/TCE volunteer preparer will be available by phone or email to answer questions. Filers will need access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone; a stable internet connection; an email address; and their 2024 adjusted gross income or self-select PIN.
The IRS began accepting tax returns on Jan. 26 and will accept returns through April 15, 2026, though many NYC Free Tax Prep sites remain open year-round to assist late filers, help with prior-year returns, and support small business owners and self-employed filers with quarterly and annual tax filing requirements. This year, taxpayers face fewer no-cost filing options following the elimination of the IRS Direct File program, making access to trusted and accurate free tax assistance more critical than ever.
Select NYC Health + Hospitals sites offer support in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Urdu, and virtual tax preparation is available in Spanish as well. When a site does not have on-site language capacity, preparers will use an IRS-approved Over-the-Phone Interpreter (OPI) service to support the appointment and any language needs.
NYC Free Tax Prep for Self-Employed New Yorkers:
NYC Free Tax Prep for Self-Employed Filers provides free tax preparation services tailored to the needs of gig workers, freelancers, and small business owners who often face barriers to filing taxes and managing financial recordkeeping. In addition to providing annual and quarterly estimated tax filing preparation assistance, workshops, and one-on-one consultations, we help the growing number of New Yorkers who perform gig and freelance work to learn the basics of tax filing and recordkeeping best practices as self-employed filers.
To be eligible for tax preparation services for self-employed filers, New Yorkers must have business expenses of $250,000 or below. New Yorkers can find a site with these specially trained tax preparers by selecting “Self-Employed/Schedule C Assistance” on the NYC Free Tax Prep Map site finder.
Paid Tax Preparers:
Consumers should also be on alert for predatory tax preparers who overcharge, charge hidden fees, or file returns without permission. Beware of preparers promising a “rapid refund” or “fast cash” that hide the fact that a Refund Anticipation Loan is a loan. To that end, DCWP is issuing compliance notices to tax preparers across the city this month, warning them to comply with New York City consumer protection laws that ban overcharging and hidden fees.
The City encourages eligible filers to file for free with NYC Free Tax Prep, but consumers who use a paid tax preparer should ask the preparer for the Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers (additional languages available) and read it carefully before having their taxes prepared, according to the Office of the Mayor.
