As we head into the final stretch of 2025, with November already halfway over and December looming, many taxpayers in several states are still waiting for that long-overdue round of inflation tax refunds.
What many people call “inflation refunds” is simply a type of state tax refund disguised as temporary relief, designed to return some of the money lost to sales taxes and other levies that have increased due to rising costs in recent years.
Why is New York sending extra tax refunds?
These payments don’t come from the federal IRS, but from state budgets, and while they may seem like magic checks against inflation, they are essentially legitimate refunds of what you’ve already paid in taxes, just processed with a slight delay to maximize their impact during times of greater need, such as the holidays.
In New York, the main round of these inflation refunds is still rolling out: they started going out in late September, but the Department of Taxation and Finance has confirmed that checks will continue to arrive randomly until the end of November, and in some cases, could extend into December if there are delays due to volume or postal issues.
Those receiving these payments are people who filed their IT-201 for tax year 2023 with New York adjusted gross income below certain thresholds—say, up to $75,000 for single individuals, who get $200, or up to $150,000 for married couples filing jointly, with $400 in their pocket.
How to check where’s your NY tax refund
Now, if you’re in New York and uncertainty is eating you up, checking the status of your inflation tax refund is easier than it seems, and it doesn’t require any tricks or dubious apps.
The first thing is to be patient: if you filed electronically, you can check online as little as 72 hours later; if you filed on paper, wait about four weeks. Go to the official website of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance at tax.ny.gov and look for the “Check your refund status” section—or go directly to the tool a www.tax.ny.gov/pit/file/refund.htm.
There, they’ll ask for three basic things: the last four digits of your Social Security number, the exact refund amount you requested on your IT-201 (or the inflation adjustment if applicable), and your ZIP code. You don’t need a user account or complicated passwords; it’s a quick process that tells you if it’s been processed, sent, or if there’s a hold.
If you prefer something more interactive, use the PRIS portal at www8.tax.ny.gov/PRIS/prisStart, which does the same thing but with added security. Avoid emails or texts promising updates—that smells like a scam
And if you don’t see any activity after the estimated dates, call 518-457-5181 for human follow-up. In the end, these refunds are a well-deserved relief, but staying on top of things saves you sleepless nights.