Albany - The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced the extension of certain tax filing and payment deadlines for affected taxpayers, tax preparers and relief workers in counties that were declared disaster areas by President Barack Obama.

The deadlines for most filings and tax payments have been extended to October 31, 2011. The deadlines for withholding payments and Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax payments have been extended to September 12, 2011. There are no extensions for payments required to be made through the Prompt Tax system for sales tax, prepaid sales tax and excise tax on motor fuel and diesel motor fuel and the petroleum business tax.

"I hope this extension will provide some measure of relief to taxpayers experiencing hardship as a consequence of the extreme weather," said Commissioner Thomas H. Mattox. "We recognize that tax records may be inaccessible or may have been destroyed, and that some taxpayers and business owners have far more pressing matters to deal with at this time than filing tax returns."

Additional time for payments and filing beyond the extension date will be considered on a case by case basis for affected taxpayers whose individual circumstances warrant additional consideration. For more information, taxpayers should visit www.tax.ny.gov.