Do you receive a STAR credit in New York? You can now have it deposited straight into your bank account.

The STAR Credit Direct Deposit program was rolled out statewide this month after being piloted last year in Suffolk and Nassau counties on Long Island.

“STAR Credit Direct Deposit is the fastest and easiest way to receive your STAR credit payment,” says New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller. “It works hand-in-hand with other changes we’re making to improve the STAR program for homeowners.”

Here’s what to know about the new program.

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How the program could benefit you

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If you choose to enroll in the voluntary program, you’ll receive your STAR credit more quickly than those who don’t.

However, if you enroll less than 15 days before your STAR credit is issued, you will receive this year’s credit through a check sent to the mailing address on file.

Those who receive the STAR credit get more than those who receive the STAR exemption since the exemption amount can never change but your credit could go up by up to 2% each year.

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Are you eligible?

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Possibly. You must be registered for the STAR credit on your primary residence before you can receive the credit by direct deposit.

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How to enroll

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If you’re already registered for the STAR credit, you can enroll in the direct deposit program by using your bank’s nine-digit routing number and bank account number.

Your bank information can be found by looking at the bottom left corner of a check, in your online banking app or by contacting your bank.

To enroll, you’ll need to follow these steps:

¯ Log into your Individual Online Services account or create one.

¯ Select the Services menu in the upper left corner of your screen and choose Real property tax.

¯ From the expanded menu, select Homeowner Benefit Portal.

¯ Then select Actions and choose Enroll in or edit Direct Deposit from the drop-down menu.

If you don’t have an Individual Online Services account, you’ll need to create one. But keep in mind — you can’t use business, tax, professional or fiduciary accounts to enroll in the program as credits can only be deposited into a personal checking or savings account.

The credit can also only be deposited into one bank account but you can choose to have it deposited into someone else’s checking or savings account.

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Will I need to enroll again next year?

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No, you won’t. You’ll remain enrolled unless you discontinue your enrollment.

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When you’ll receive your credit

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It depends on when school taxes are due in your area. The STAR checks tend to show up before that deadline in your town and school district.

The earliest checks are sent out to the village of Bronxville in Westchester County in late June, and the latest checks go out in the last few months of the year.

But most New Yorkers will receive their checks in September. To find out when you may be receiving yours, take a look at the check delivery schedule by visiting www8.tax.ny.gov/SCDS/scdsStart.

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What is the Homeowner Benefit Portal?

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Another new tool was rolled out along with the direct deposit program this month — the Homeowner Benefit Portal.

The portal allows you to:

¯ Register for STAR

¯ Enroll in the STAR Credit Direct Deposit program

¯ Switch to the STAR credit

¯ View, edit or close your registrations

¯ Ensure your information is accurate and complete

¯ Take action to resolve issues

You can access the portal by logging into your Tax Department Individual Online Services account. Select the Services menu in the upper left corner of the screen, click on the Real property tax menu and choose the Homeowner Benefit Portal link.

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What if I receive a STAR exemption?

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You will not be able to receive a direct deposit, although you could switch to the STAR credit to access the direct deposit program.

If you’re currently receiving a STAR exemption, you will continue to receive a reduction on your school property tax bill as long as you remain eligible.

If you’d like to learn more about the new direct deposit program, visit tax.ny.gov.