§ 686. Overpayment.-- (a) General.-- The commissioner of taxation and finance, within the applicable period of limitations, may credit an overpayment of income tax and interest on such overpayment against any liability in respect of any tax imposed by this chapter, including taxes imposed under article twenty-three of this chapter, on the person who made the overpayment, against any liability in respect of any tax imposed pursuant to the authority of this chapter or any other law on such person if such tax is administered by the commissioner of taxation and finance and, as provided in sections one hundred seventy-one-c, one hundred seventy-one-d, one hundred seventy-one-e, one hundred seventy-one-f and one hundred seventy-one-l of this chapter, against past-due support, a past-due legally enforceable debt, a city of New York tax warrant judgment debt, and against the amount of a default in repayment of a guaranteed student, state university or city university loan. The balance shall be refunded by the comptroller out of the proceeds of the tax retained by him for such general purpose. Any refund under this section shall be made only upon the filing of a return and upon a certificate of the commissioner approved by the comptroller. The comptroller, as a condition precedent to the approval of such a certificate, may examine into the facts as disclosed by the return of the person who made the overpayment and other information and data available in the files of the commissioner.

(b) Excessive withholding.--If the amount allowable as a credit for tax withheld from the taxpayer exceeds his tax to which the credit relates, the excess shall be considered an overpayment.

(c) Overpayment by employer.--If there has been an overpayment of tax required to be deducted and withheld under section six hundred seventy-one, refund shall be made to the employer only to the extent that the amount of the overpayment was not deducted and withheld by the employer.

(d) Overpayment by a deceased person.--Notwithstanding section thirteen hundred ten of the surrogate's court procedure act, any overpayment by a decedent not in excess of one thousand dollars may be refunded to the decedent's surviving spouse unless the return for the decedent was filed by his or her executor or administrator.

(e) Credits against estimated tax.--The commissioner may prescribe regulations providing for the crediting against the estimated income tax for any taxable year of the amount determined to be an overpayment of the income tax for a preceding taxable year. If any overpayment of income tax is so claimed as a credit against estimated tax for the succeeding taxable year, such amount shall be considered as a payment of the income tax for the succeeding taxable year, and no claim for credit or refund of such overpayment shall be allowed for the taxable year for which the overpayment arises, except upon request to the commissioner on or before the last day prescribed for the filing of the return for the succeeding taxable year, determined with regard to any extension of time granted. If good cause is shown for reversing the credit, the commissioner may, in his or her discretion, credit the overpayment against a liability or refund the overpayment without interest. Provided, the person who made the overpayment will not be relieved of liability for any penalty imposed for a consequent underpayment of estimated tax for the succeeding taxable year. The decision of the commissioner to grant or deny the request is final and not subject to further administrative or judicial review.

(f) Rule where no tax liability.--If there is no tax liability for a period in respect of which an amount is paid as income tax, such amount shall be considered an overpayment.

(g) Assessment and collection after limitation period.--If any amount of income tax is assessed or collected after the expiration of the period of limitations properly applicable thereto, such amount shall be considered an overpayment.

(h) Cross reference. For provision barring application of article fifty-two of the civil practice law and rules to any amount to be refunded or credited to a taxpayer, see section seven of this chapter.

(i) Overpayment.--In case of an overpayment of tax required to be paid by an entity as an estimated tax under paragraph four of subsection (c) of section six hundred fifty-eight of this article, a refund shall be made to such entity only to the extent that such overpayment is attributable to a partner, member or shareholder for whom the entity is not required to pay such estimated tax.