BronxWorks Free Tax Preparation: Who Qualifies and What to Bring

BronxWorks offers free tax preparation to New York City residents through the NYC Free Tax Prep program, with IRS-certified preparers who file your federal, state, and local returns at no cost.1BronxWorks. Tax Time is Here! BronxWorks Is Here to Help You qualify if you earned $97,000 or less with dependents, or $68,000 or less without dependents, in 2025.2ACCESS NYC. NYC Free Tax Prep Appointments run from late January through mid-April and can be done in person, by document drop-off, or virtually.

Who Qualifies

Eligibility comes down to income and household. For 2025 returns filed during the 2026 season, you qualify if you earned $97,000 or less and claim qualifying children or dependents, or $68,000 or less if you don’t.3NYC.gov. FAQ About NYC Free Tax Prep – DCWP Single, married, and head of household filers all use the same thresholds. You must live or work in New York City. Immigration or naturalization status does not affect eligibility.4BronxWorks. Tax and Financial Assistance Services

The service is built for low- to moderate-income filers, seniors, people with disabilities, and people with limited English proficiency.1BronxWorks. Tax Time is Here! BronxWorks Is Here to Help

What the Preparers Can Handle

BronxWorks preparers are IRS-certified volunteers in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.5Internal Revenue Service. Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers They handle W-2 wages, interest and dividends, Social Security, unemployment, and basic self-employment income. That covers most people who walk in.

Self-employment is where it gets narrower. A Schedule C can be filed for you only if business expenses are $50,000 or less, there’s no net loss, and you use cash accounting. Preparers cannot take depreciation, business use of home, cost of goods sold, employee payroll, or actual-cost vehicle expenses. Rental property income, extensive stock transactions, foreign income, and digital asset transactions that require a “yes” on the Form 1040 digital asset question are also outside what VITA preparers can file.6Internal Revenue Service. Out of Scope Situations for VITA/TCE If you’re not sure where your situation lands, bring your documents and ask. The preparer will tell you up front if your return is too complex.

How to Book an Appointment

The 2026 filing season opened on January 26, 2026, and BronxWorks accepts appointments through mid-April.7Internal Revenue Service. IRS Announces First Day of 2026 Filing Season You have three ways to file:

  • In person, with a preparer who completes your return while you wait. Best if you have questions or anything unusual on the return.
  • Drop-off, where you leave documents at the site and pick up the finished return later. Good for a tight schedule and a simple return.
  • Virtual, where you submit documents electronically and finish by phone or video. NYC Free Tax Prep offers in-person, online, and phone-based options across its network.2ACCESS NYC. NYC Free Tax Prep

BronxWorks takes appointments through its online booking system. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on capacity, but demand peaks in March and early April, so book ahead. The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection also maintains a citywide site finder if a Bronx location doesn’t fit your schedule.3NYC.gov. FAQ About NYC Free Tax Prep – DCWP

BronxWorks Tax Prep Locations

Two BronxWorks sites are listed for NYC Free Tax Prep:4BronxWorks. Tax and Financial Assistance Services

  • Workforce Development Main Office, 550 East 142nd Street, Bronx, NY 10454
  • Twin Parks West, 355 East 183rd Street, Bronx, NY 10458

Hours vary by site, and some offer extended weekday or weekend availability. Confirm hours when you book.

What to Bring

Showing up without the right paperwork is the fastest way to waste a trip. Gather everything before your appointment so the preparer can finish in one sitting.

Identification

On a joint return, both spouses must attend to sign. One spouse cannot sign for the other at a VITA site.

Income Documents

  • W-2s from every employer you worked for in 2025.
  • 1099 forms for interest (1099-INT), dividends (1099-DIV), unemployment and other government payments (1099-G), retirement distributions (1099-R), and freelance or miscellaneous income (1099-NEC or 1099-MISC).8Internal Revenue Service. Checklist for Free Tax Return Preparation
  • SSA-1099 if you received Social Security benefits.

Deductions and Credits

Bank Information

Bring a voided check or your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit is the fastest way to get your refund, with most issued in fewer than 21 days.12Internal Revenue Service. IRS Opens 2026 Filing Season The IRS has been phasing out paper refund checks since late 2025, so bank details are no longer optional for most filers.

Credits a Preparer Can Help You Claim

One of the biggest reasons to use a trained preparer is making sure every credit you qualify for lands on the return. Two credits in particular can mean thousands of dollars.

Earned Income Tax Credit

The EITC is a refundable credit for working people with low to moderate income. For 2025, the maximum amounts are:13Internal Revenue Service. Earned Income and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Tables

  • No qualifying children: up to $649
  • One qualifying child: up to $4,328
  • Two qualifying children: up to $7,152
  • Three or more qualifying children: up to $8,046

Refundable means you get the money even if you owe no tax. Many eligible filers miss it because they assume they don’t qualify.

Child Tax Credit

The Child Tax Credit is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child for 2025.14Internal Revenue Service. Refundable Tax Credits BronxWorks preparers can also apply the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit when you qualify.4BronxWorks. Tax and Financial Assistance Services

ITIN Help

If you don’t have a Social Security number, you may need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to file. Some VITA sites have Certifying Acceptance Agents who complete Form W-7, verify your documents in person, and mail the application for you at no charge.15Internal Revenue Service. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Sites with ITIN Services Most documents can be authenticated on the spot and originals returned at the appointment. Foreign military IDs and dependent documents other than passports and birth certificates have to be mailed with the application. Not every VITA site offers ITIN services, so call ahead to confirm. Each applicant must attend with their own materials.

If You Can’t File by April 15

The deadline for 2025 returns is April 15, 2026, and BronxWorks free preparation generally ends around the same time.16Internal Revenue Service. Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File US Individual Income Tax Return (Form 4868) If you can’t make the deadline, Form 4868 gives you an automatic six-month extension to file, filed either through tax software or on paper. An extension buys time to file, not time to pay. Interest and penalties begin on any unpaid balance after April 15.

The failure-to-file penalty is 5% of unpaid tax per month, up to 25%. Failure-to-pay adds 0.5% per month on the unpaid balance. Returns more than 60 days late carry a minimum penalty of the lesser of $525 or 100% of the tax owed.17Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 653, IRS Notices and Bills, Penalties and Interest Charges Filing an extension and paying what you can by April 15 avoids the steepest penalties. The IRS offers installment agreements that reduce the monthly penalty rate if you can’t pay in full.

If you expect a refund, there’s no penalty for filing late. You’re just lending the government your money for no reason.