Brooklynites get tax refunds that are among highest in state: study

More people in Brooklyn refunded, Manhattan's average refund higher

April 22, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Tax season is upon us, and this year, the deadline has been extended to May 15. AP photo by Keith Srakocic

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Americans are preparing to file their taxes by the newly extended May 15 deadline, if they haven’t done so already, and upwards of 70 percent are expecting a refund, according to IRS data.

As part of the annual season of tax preparation, SmartAsset released its study on the places where people have received the largest tax refunds, as well as the places where people owe the most.

According to the study, tax refunds in Kings County, meaning Brooklyn, rank among the largest within the 62 counties of New York State at No. 9. Brooklyn ranks just below Orange County and just above Putnam County. The average tax amount refunded to Brooklyn residents was $2,895.

New York County, or Manhattan, is No. 1, according to SmartAsset. The average tax return there was $4,438.

Kings County also ranked No. 9 in sheer numbers, as 923,030 people within the borough have received, or are receiving, tax refunds.

To determine the counties that received the highest average tax refunds in New York State, the study divided the total amount of money refunded to residents by the IRS by the number of refunds distributed in each county.

The firm did the same to calculate the average amount owed by dividing the total taxes owed in each county by the number of filers that still owe taxes. The firm then ranked and indexed each of the counties where residents receive the highest average refunds and where residents pay the most after filing their taxes.

SmartAsset, according to its own website, is a financial technology company that aims “to provide the best personal finance advice on the web” by offering personalized tools, calculators and advice.