Are you looking to get a little extra money back from the IRS this year? If so, you may be eligible for the Earned Income Credit (EIC).
The EIC is a tax credit available to working individuals and families who earn low to moderate incomes.
It can help reduce your taxes, provide information on other deductions and credits, such as the child tax credit, and even result in refunds for some taxpayers.
In this overview, we’ll offer advice on understanding the EIC and navigating the tax law.
We will also provide an Earned Income Credit Table that shows how much you could get back from the IRS based on your income level and filing status.
And we will also discuss eligibility requirements, how to claim the EIC credit, and useful services like accessing your account on the IRS site and finding instructions for necessary forms.
Additionally, we’ll touch on the importance of having valid social security numbers and understanding the impact of the EIC on the taxes you pay.
Table of Contents
What is the EIC table?
The Earned Income Credit table below shows the maximum credit amount you can receive based on your income level and family size. It takes into account factors like age and the number of children you have.
EIC Table
| Number of Dependents | Maximum Credit | Maximum Adjusted Gross Income |
| 0 | $1,502 | Single $21,430 Jointly $27,380 |
| 1 | $3,618 | Single $42,158 Jointly $48,108 |
| 2 | $5,980 | Single $47,915 Jointly $53,865 |
| 3+ | $6,728 | Single $51,464 Jointly $57,414 |
As you can see from the Earned Income Credit table, the credit is based on a percentage of your earned income and starts to phase out as you increase your income. Source: IRS.gov.
The credit also increases as the number of children claimed on your tax return increases.
The credit amounts are also higher for those who are married and filing jointly with their spouse and for those who have more than one child.
However, it’s essential to be aware of potential penalties for incorrect filing or claiming.
How do I know if I’m eligible for the EIC?
In order to claim the Earned Income Credit, you must meet certain eligibility requirements.
These include having earned income from employment or self-employment, being a U.S. citizen or resident alien for the entire tax year, and not being married and filing separately.
You must also have a valid Social Security number.
If you think you may be eligible for the Earned Income Credit, we encourage you to use the Earned Income Credit table to determine how much you could get back from the IRS.
Additionally, take advantage of available services and information on the IRS site to ensure you’re maximizing your deductions and credits.
Don’t hesitate to seek professional advice if you need assistance navigating tax law and understanding your eligibility for various credits and deductions.
What is the Earned Income Credit (EIC)?
To help individuals with low to moderate-income and reduce poverty, the United States provides the “Earned Income Credit” (EIC) program.
This program is designed to aid individuals who work for a living but earn a low income.
However, it’s often criticized because the credit discourages individuals from earning higher incomes since the credit phases out as you make more.
The earned income tax credit is available to claim for the 2023, and 2024 tax seasons. However, the IRS estimates that about 15% of eligible individuals do not claim this tax credit.
What is the Earned Income Credit Limit?
The IRS has set these maximum table limits you can get for the tax years 2023 and 2024:
- $6,728 with three or more qualifying children
- $5,980 with two qualifying children
- $3,618 with one qualifying child
- $1,502 with no qualifying children
What is the Maximum Income to Qualify for the Earned Income Credit?
- With three or more eligible children, earned income and adjusted gross income (AGI) must both be less than $51,464 ($57,414 married filing jointly).
- With two eligible children, you may earn $47,915 ($53,865 if married and filing jointly).
- With one qualified child, you may earn $42,158 ($48,108 if married and filing jointly).
- With zero qualified children, you may earn $21,430 ($27,380 if married and filing jointly).
How Does the Earned Income Credit Work?
The EIC provides support for low and moderate-income working parents (with qualifying children) in the form of tax credits.
The tax credit is not as beneficial for individuals without children, but not having children does not disqualify you from the credit.
Individuals receive a tax credit that can be claimed on Form 1040, which is a percentage of the individual’s earnings up to a specific maximum limit.
How to Calculate the Earned Income Credit
The Dependents Tax Credit Calculator will give you an accurate view of how much earned income credit you could be entitled to.
Just answer some simple questions regarding your income and your living circumstances, and you’ll get a readout on how much you may be eligible for.
How do You Qualify for the Earned Income Credit?
Although the Earned Income Credit is available for all working individuals, it greatly benefits those with children. To qualify, an individual must:
- Have a valid social security number. All members of the family must have a social security number to qualify.
- File under the following filing status:
- Single
- Married filing jointly
- Qualifying wife or widower
- Head of household
- Have less than $$10,000 of investment income for the tax year.
- Not file a Foreign Earned Income Form 2555 or Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.
- Have earned income and adjusted gross income within the IRS limits.
Am I Eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?
What is Earned Income?
Earned income is defined as the income you earn working for an employer or self-employed.
Examples of earned income are salaries and wages, royalties, commissions, profits from your business, self-employment income, and many other types of income.
Some types of income excluded from “earned income” are child support or alimony, social security benefits, unemployment benefits, pension, retirement income, interest income, and many other types of income that are not “earned” from working.
Is the Earned Income Credit Refundable or Non-Refundable?
The earned income credit is a “refundable credit.”
Refundable credits provide the most benefit because if the tax credit is larger than the tax liability on your tax return, it will result in an additional refund of the difference.
Non-refundable tax credits can only offset your tax liability to $0, but these credits do not refund the excess.
Earned Income Credit Worksheet & Calculator
The Earned Income Tax Credit Worksheet can be used to calculate your eligibility and how much credit you qualify for.
The worksheet can be found in the instruction booklet for IRS Form 1040.
There is also an Earned Income Credit Calculator to help you figure out your Earned Income Credit amount.
Fraudulent Claims
It’s important to understand the qualifications and apply for the credit accordingly.
For example, an individual will be disallowed the earned income credit if they claim when not eligible due to “reckless or intentional disregard of the EIC rules.”
In addition, making fraudulent claims for the credit can disallow an individual for 10 years.
Online tax software does all the hard work for you by identifying and claiming the earned income credit, putting the numbers on the correct form, and then computing just how big your refund will be.
How to Claim the Earned Income Credit
You must claim the Earned Income Credit with your Federal Individual Income Tax Return. You will need to attach a Schedule EIC to the Federal Income Tax Return to claim the credit.
Online tax filing makes it easy to claim the earned income tax credit and maximize your tax refund.
