St. Lawrence County taxpayers can begin electronically filing their 2014 income tax returns, so-called “e-filing,” and take advantage of an array of free tax preparation options, according to the state Department of Taxation and Finance.

The income tax filing season for tax year 2014 runs until April 15. More than 10 million returns will be filed, the Tax and Finance Department said in a press release.

“Ninety percent o the returns we receive are now e-filed. New Yorkers recognize that it’s the safest and most accurate way to file, and they’re glad to receive their refunds nearly twice as fast as they would if they had filed paper,” Executive Deputy Commissioner Nonie Manion said.

The department says e-filing is faster, safer and more accurate.

They say E-filers receive their tax refunds twice as fast as paper filers. The electronic returns are submitted through a secure, encrypted system to prevent data access. They further claim the error rate for e-filed returns is 20 times lower than for paper returns.

New York taxpayers with incomes under $60,000 can prepare and e-file both their federal and state income tax returns at no cost using e-file software available from the Tax Department’s web site. People can access free options directly from www.tax.ny.gov.

Those with income over $60,000 can prepare and e-file their New York state tax returns directly on the Tax Department web site.

The IRS and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) offer free tax preparation by trained volunteers. To find a nearby site, call 211 or use the IRS’s online lookup.