Big Apple Intros Free Online Tax Prep

New York City has launched a free Web-based tax preparation and electronic filing service that is available to all residents who earn less than $58,000.

The city estimates that nearly 2.7 million New Yorkers will qualify to use the service, 200,000 more than the number of New Yorkers who paid to have their income tax returns prepared in 2007.

The service leverages online tax filing software known as The Beehive from a nonprofit, One Economy Corporation. The program was spearheaded by the city’s Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Financial Empowerment as part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 8th Annual Tax Credit Campaign.

To access the service, visit www.nyc.gov/onlinefreetaxprep. When preparing tax returns online, residents should type in “NYC” instead of “New York” when prompted to fill in their locality from Box 20 on the W-2 form.