The earned income tax credit, or EITC, is a tax break that can help low- to moderate-income working families save thousands at tax time.
Whether you can claim, however, depends on your filing status and your adjusted gross income. It can be confusing: According to the IRS, nearly 20% of eligible taxpayers don't claim the EITC, which averaged $2,743 in tax year 2023.
For tax year 2024, the EITC is worth a maximum of $7,830 for eligible families with three or more children. Workers 25 to 64 with no dependents, meanwhile, can claim up to $632.Â
What is the earned income tax credit?
Enacted in 1975, the EITC is intended to benefit low- and middle-income working families and lift many out of poverty. The amount you can claim depends on your adjusted gross income and how many qualifying children you have, although workers without a qualifying child can still claim a smaller amount.
To determine if you can claim the credit, you need to calculate your adjusted gross income.
Your adjusted gross income, or AGI, is your total income after subtracting certain adjustments, including:
- Student loan interest
- Alimony payments
- Stock options
- Deductible IRA contributions
- Moving expenses (military only)
- Deductible self-employment taxes
- Penalties on early savings withdrawal
You can calculate your AGI using the IRS EITC Assistant. Have your filing status, income sources and other relevant information on hand.
How much is the earned income tax credit worth?
For income earned in 2024 (filing in 2025), you can claim up to $7,830, depending on your filing status and number of qualifying children.
Here's the breakdown by number of qualifying children and income level.
| Children | Maximum EITC | Maximum income: Single/Head of household | Maximum income: Married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $632 | $18,591 | $25,511 |
| 1 | $4,213 | $49,084 | $56,004 |
| 2 | $6,960 | $55,768 | $62,688 |
| 3+ | $7,830 | $59,899 | $66,819 |
Source: For Tax Year 2024
Note: You can't qualify for the EITC if you earned more than $11,600 from investments, even if your other income falls beneath the limits.
Members of the military and the clergy have special EITC rules, as do those with disability income and children with disabilities.
For income earned in 2025 (filing in 2026) the maximum earned income tax credit will rise to $8,046, depending on the number of qualifying children.Â
| Number of children | Maximum EITC | Maximum income: Single/Head of household | Maximum income: Married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $649 | $19,104 | $26,214 |
| 1 | $4,328 | $50,434 | $57,554 |
| 2 | $7,152 | $57,310 | $64,430 |
| 3+ | $8,046 | $61,555 | $68,675 |
Source: For tax year 2025
By law, the IRS can't issue refunds to taxpayers who claim the EITC before mid-February, so filers who claimed it should get their refunds beginning in early March.
If you filed a paper return or there are errors, your refund will likely be delayed.
How to qualify for the earned income tax credit
In addition to the income requirement above:
- You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien
- You must have valid Social Security numbers for yourself, your spouse and any qualifying dependents.
- You must file a tax return even if your income level doesn't require you to.
- Your investment income can't be above $11,600
- If you're married and filing separately, you and your spouse must either be legally separated and not living together at the end of the tax year or have lived apart during the last six months.
- You haven't earned any income this tax year in a foreign country.
- Nobody is claiming you as a qualifying child on a tax return.
- If you're claiming the EITC without a child, you're at least 25 but under 65 years old. When filing with a spouse, at least one of you must meet the age requirement.
If you are claiming the credit for a child, they also need to meet certain criteria:
- They must be related to you. That can include biological or adopted children, stepchildren, foster children or grandchildren. Your siblings, half-siblings and stepsiblings (or their children) can qualify, too.
- They must be under 19 years old at the end of the tax year and younger than you and your spouse if you're filing jointly. If your child is a full-time student, however, the age limit is 24.
- If the child is "permanently and totally disabled," according to the IRS, there is no age limit to qualify.
- They must have lived with you or your spouse in the U.S. for more than half the year.
Mistakes with claiming the credit are common, according to the Tax Policy Center, with as much as 28.5% of all EITC payments made in error.
The main culprit is people not accurately determining whether their child qualifies for the credit, so follow the guidelines carefully.
Find a tax relief company that can help
How to claim the earned income tax credit
If you're claiming the EITC without any dependents, you can just note it on your 1040 or 1040-SR. If you have qualifying children, however, you'll need to attach a Schedule EIC with their Social Security numbers, birth years and other information.
TurboTax lets you claim the credit on its free tier, which 37% of taxpayers qualify for, according to the company.
TurboTax
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Switch to TurboTax and file 100% free using Do It Yourself in the app by 2/28. To qualify, you must start and file your taxes in the mobile app, use the Do It Yourself product, must not have filed your taxes using TurboTax last year, and must file this year's taxes by February 28, 2026. This differs from TurboTax Free Edition, which is a tax filing product that's available year round on the web or the app.*
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*TurboTax Free Edition: Simple Form 1040 returns only (no schedules, except for EITC, CTC, student loan interest, and Schedule 1-A). TurboTax reports that 37% of filers qualify for the free edition.
H&R Block's free plan also accepts the EITC, as well as the child tax credit and education credits.
H&R Block
Free version
Yes
Guarantee
Guarantees 100% accuracy and maximum refund
Live support
Live chat available with all paid plans
Tax refund advance loan
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Read our H&R Block tax software review
Earned Income Tax Credit FAQs
Can you claim the earned income tax credit if you don't have kids?
Yes, you can claim the EITC without a qualifying child if you meet the income requirements for your filing status. You must also be between the ages of 25 and 64 and have resided in the U.S. for over half the year. In addition, no one can claim you as a dependent or qualifying child on their return.
How much is the earned income tax credit?
For tax year 2024, the maximum amount of credit if you have three or more qualifying children is $7,830. If you have two qualifying children it's $6,960 and if you have one qualifying child the cap is $4,213. Filers with no qualifying children who meet the other requirements can receive a credit of up to $632.
Can I claim the EITC for a previous year?
If you believe you were eligible for the EITC over the past three years but didn't claim it, you can file an amended tax return for that year and claim the money now.
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