Skip to main content

Office of the Taxpayer Rights Advocate


How we can help you

If you have trouble resolving a tax issue with the Department of Taxation and Finance and have exhausted all other administrative remedies, the Taxpayer Rights Advocate may be able to help.

We respond to all requests for help. We listen to your problem, examine your situation, check department records, and discuss your complaint with you. If you need a person to assist you, or if the department is being unresponsive, we can step in to help. Sometimes the help might be simply connecting you with the right person in the appropriate division of the department.

Resources

Having trouble with your tax preparer? See file a Tax Preparer Complaint.

Refund claims

We cannot accept refund status inquiries for any tax year unless:

  • there's been an undue delay of more than four months in the processing of the claim, and
  • you have already inquired about the claim through the department's established methods for refunds.

If it's been fewer than four months, you can check your income tax refund status online.

Check your refund status 

For more information about the status of other tax refunds, please see Contact us.

Kudos for our Taxpayer Rights Advocate team

". . . each advocate was well educated, versed and prepared to discuss the facts, exhibits and my position in this case. During our conversations, they always made me feel that I was listened to, I was heard and I was respected. They made me feel that they took their professional responsibilities as advocates seriously, were sympathetic to my situation, and were dedicated to assisting the taxpayer."

- Carol H., Roslyn, NY

A message from
the Taxpayer Rights Advocate

A message from
the Taxpayer Rights Advocate

How to request assistance

If you have an individual tax problem, or if you have been unsuccessful in resolving a tax matter using the Tax Department’s normal channels, we may be able to assist you.

Request Assistance

Demo: NYS Your Rights as a Taxpayer

Demo: NYS Your Rights as a Taxpayer

Improvement opportunities

woman in workshop on tablet

Improvement opportunities

Let us know if you have information about an issue that might affect a significant number of taxpayers and not an individual problem that pertains only to you.

MAKE REPORT

Updated: