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New York tax tidbit: firefighters’ credit

March 20, 2010

New York flag New York City's firefighters might have Rescue Me, but volunteer firemen and women throughout the Empire State have a tax credit they can claim on their income tax returns.

Actually, the tax break is for emergency medical technicians, too.

The Volunteer Firefighters' and Ambulance Workers' credit provides $200 to any New York resident who was an active volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker for the entire 2009 tax year.

While it's not a huge credit, it is refundable. That means you may get money back if the credit exceeds your state tax liability.

To claim this credit you must complete Form IT-245 and attach it to your state income tax return.

Just be sure to coordinate the credit with other tax breaks. You can't claim this tax break ifif you receive an exemption on your real estate taxes based on your volunteer service.

More on this credit and two dozen other state and Big Apple tax credits can be found in Publication 99-IND.

Tax trip around the United States: This post is part of our series highlighting tax information from the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. You can read other state tax blurbs at our Complete menu of tasty state tax tidbits.

The State Tax Departments page provides links to official state and District of Columbia revenue Web sites so that you can find out more about your home's tax laws and filing requirements.

As we work through the 2010 tax season, a different state will be featured each day as noted in Don't forget your state taxes! Check back to see what tax tidbit we share about your home.

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The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

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TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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