Rocket Tax NYC Restitution — Refunds of Undisclosed Tax Prep Fees

Consumer Protection · Claims Open

Current Status

Claims are open. The deadline to submit a claim is October 29, 2026, according to the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) claim page and claim form; neither gives a time of day or timezone. This is a city agency settlement, not a court case, so there is no approval hearing to wait on. DCWP reviews claims in the order it receives them and pays refunds until the fund is used up or the deadline passes, whichever comes first, so the fund can run out before October 29.

What Changed Recently?

DCWP settled with Rocket Tax in April 2025. The agency said Rocket Tax, a paid tax preparer with several Brooklyn offices, failed to disclose its fees to customers. Under the settlement, Rocket Tax was required to pay $36,000 in restitution for customers and $22,000 in civil penalties.

On December 11, 2025, DCWP said $28,000 of the Rocket Tax restitution money was still unclaimed. It listed the fund among nearly $380,000 in unclaimed restitution from several recent consumer cases. DCWP has not published a newer balance.

Who Qualifies?

DCWP's claim form sets two conditions, and a claimant has to meet both:

• They were a Rocket Tax customer between December 1, 2023 and May 1, 2025.
• Rocket Tax failed to disclose its fees to them.

For this settlement, "Rocket Tax" means the businesses owned and operated by its two owners, Demetress Corporation, Rocket Tax Service Inc. and Rocket Tax Inc. The claim form lists five Brooklyn offices, on Livonia Avenue, Pitkin Avenue, Crescent Street, Linden Boulevard and Church Avenue, and asks claimants to check each location they used. Rocket Tax is a separate business from the Rocket Money budgeting app and from Rocket Mortgage.

How Much Can You Get?

There is no set payment amount. Claimants report on the form how much Rocket Tax charged them, and DCWP decides how much each approved claimant is refunded. The form says the refund cannot include money for insurance, incidental costs or pain and suffering.

The fund is small. Rocket Tax was required to pay $36,000 in restitution, and $28,000 of it was unclaimed as of December 11, 2025. Because DCWP pays claims in the order they arrive, a claim filed after the money runs out may not be paid, even if it is filed before the deadline.

What Proof Is Required?

Proof is required. The claim form asks for documents showing that Rocket Tax did not disclose its tax preparation fees. It lists these options:

• Receipts or fee statements from Rocket Tax
• Copies of tax returns filed at Rocket Tax
• Proof of the tax refund deposit amount for the years filed at Rocket Tax, such as a bank statement or a copy of the check
• Other documents, described by the claimant

DCWP warns that it may not be able to process a claim without these documents. No notice ID or claim number is needed. The form also asks for the approximate dates of service, when the claimant found out about the fees and how. Claimants affirm the information under penalty of perjury.

What Is the Deadline?

The deadline is October 29, 2026. That is the date on DCWP's live claim page and on the claim form itself; neither names a time of day. DCWP's December 11, 2025 announcement gave October 26, 2026, three days earlier, so a claim sent before October 26 meets both dates.

How Do You Take Action?

There is no online claim portal. The DCWP Rocket Tax restitution page links to the claim form in English and Spanish. The completed form and supporting documents go to DCWP by email or by mail, using the contact details on that page. The form has four sections, and every one must be completed: general information, the Rocket Tax fees, an affirmation, and a consumer release.