ALBANY — The state Department of Taxation and Finance recently announced the start of the 2025 income tax filing season.

This is when the tax department and IRS will begin accepting and processing income tax returns. The deadline to file returns, pay any tax owed or request an extension of time to file is midnight April 15.

Many New Yorkers are eligible to file federal and state returns at no cost through the tax department Free File website at https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/efile/freefile.htm.

“I encourage all eligible taxpayers to take advantage of Free File, a secure, efficient and free way to file,” New York State Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller said in a press release. “To save on tax preparation costs, visit the New York State Tax Department website for a truly free filing experience for those who qualify.”

For information on gathering key documents to prepare and file income tax returns, the benefits of choosing direct deposit and information on income tax credits, visit the tax department’s income tax filing season resource center at tax.ny.gov/pit/file/.

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1099-G forms

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The state Department of Labor reminds New Yorkers that 1099-G tax forms will be automatically mailed to those who claimed unemployment insurance benefits in 2025.

Unemployment insurance benefits are taxable, and the 1099-G form provides the total amount of money a customer received in benefits or paid back to the NYSDOL during the previous year, as well as any adjustments or tax withholding made to those benefits. Those who received unemployment insurance benefits in 2025 must include a 1099-G form when filing taxes.

Forms are expected to arrive in customer mailboxes by the end of January. Alternatively, customers with an online account can now access their 1099-G tax forms on the NYSDOL website.

“To better serve our customers, the department has automated the process of mailing out required tax forms,” NYSDOL Commissioner Roberta Reardon said in a press release. “This is part of our effort to improve accessibility and make it easier for customers who claimed unemployment insurance benefits last year to file their taxes.”

To access your 1099-G form online, log in to the account associated with your unemployment claim by visiting labor.ny.gov/signin and clicking Unemployment Services.

For more information, including instructions on how to print or save a copy of the form, visit dol.ny.gov/unemployment/1099-g-tax-form.