Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) is encouraging his constituents to utilize a program providing free filing of both federal and state tax returns. The program, FreeFile, allows individuals who earned less than $57,000 last year to file their tax returns free of charge. More information is available through the Department of Taxation and Finance.

“With so many families struggling in our current economic climate, every cent we can keep in the pockets of taxpayers is critical,” said Hawley. “By charging a fee to file taxes, the government is essentially double-billing residents who already are overtaxed. This program alleviates some of the financial burden on our taxpayers and is a welcome change that will hopefully lead to similar cost-saving programs in the future.”

An overview of the FreeFile program and instructions to see if you are eligible can be found at http://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/efile/freefile_eligibility1.htm.