Nearly 13,000 New York taxpayers may be eligible for an additional 2006 tax refund through the Earned Income Credit.

The state tax department is mailing letters and amended 2006 state and federal tax returns to residents who failed to file for credits due to them.

The Earned Income Credit is available to low-income working families with or without dependent children. Some families may qualify for refunds from the federal, state, and New York City governments. They may get up to $6,000.

The credit is “refundable,” meaning the families may get a refund even though they owed no taxes.

Those who qualify will get letters in coming weeks. All they have to do is review the forms, enter their Social Security numbers and dependents’ information, and sign and return the forms.

Click here to contact the NYS Tax Department.