The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance is encouraging last-minute filers in St. Lawrence County to focus on submitting an accurate and on-time tax return ahead of next Monday’s midnight deadline.

To assist those who haven’t filed, the Tax Department is highlighting key information from its website, www.tax.ny.gov.

“The website is chock-full of valuable information and convenient services,” said New York State Taxpayer Rights Advocate Margaret Neri. “You can prepare and file your return, check your refund status, get your questions answered, pay a bill, and more. If you’re struggling to beat the deadline, our website awaits.”

People may E-file for free. Taxpayers with adjusted gross household incomes of $66,000 or less in 2018 may access free, user-friendly software from their computer, smartphone, or tablet at www.tax.ny.gov (search: Free File). Last year, more than 155,000 taxpayers took advantage of the free-filing options available on the Tax Department website. The tax preparation software helps prevent filing errors and processing delays. It may also help you claim potentially valuable credits you overlooked.

And check your refund online. If you’re eager to find out the status of your claim for an income tax refund, use the Check your Refund application on our website: www.tax.ny.gov. It’s the fastest and most convenient way to know when to expect your refund. You’ll need to enter the refund amount you're claiming, your Social Security number, and which form you filed.

Communicate directly with the Tax Department. If you receive a letter asking for documentation to support entries on your return, it doesn't mean that you did anything wrong. It's one of several steps the Tax Department takes to ensure that returns and refunds claimed are accurate. The goal is to stop questionable returns and refund claims, not to delay refunds owed.

Access your Account Summary. This page provides a central location for viewing details of your tax account. You can view prepayments to accurately report them on your tax return when filing. This includes estimated tax payments made throughout the year, any overpayment carried forward from the previous year, as well as payments made with your extension of time to file.

Request an extension of time to file. You can obtain an automatic extension of time to file if you’re unable to submit a completed income tax return by the April 15 deadline. The extension request is due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 15. You must make full payment of the properly estimated tax balance owed when requesting an extension of time to file. Personal income tax returns filed on extension are due on or before Monday, October 15, 2018.

Visit the Individual Taxpayer Answer Center at https://tax.custhelp.com/app/home. You can find answers to common tax questions by searching our database of FAQs.