Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
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Beginning in 2017, if you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) on your tax return, the IRS must hold your refund until at least February 15 — even the portion not associated with EITC or ACTC. See "Take Steps Now for Tax Filing Season" for more information on refunds. |
The Earned Income Tax Credit, EITC or EIC, is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To qualify, you must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if you do not owe any tax or are not required to file. EITC reduces the amount of tax you owe and may give you a refund.
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Who Qualifies? |
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Do I Qualify for EITC?
To qualify for EITC you must have earned income from working for someone or from running or owning a business or farm and meet basic rules. And, you must either meet additional rules for workers without a qualifying child or have a child that meets all the qualifying child rules for you.
EITC Assistant
Use the EITC Assistant to see if you qualify for tax years: 2015, 2014 and 2013. The EITC Assistant helps you find out your filing status, if your child is a qualifying child, if you are eligible and estimate the amount of the EITC you may get.
Income Limits and Table
See the EITC Income Limits, Maximum Credit Amounts and Tax Law Updates for the current year, previous years and the upcoming tax year.
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Claiming EITC |
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You need to file a tax return to claim EITC. Find out:
- the documents you need
- the common errors to watch for
- the consequences of filing an EITC return with an error
- how to get help preparing your return
- what you need to do if your EITC was denied in a previous year
- how to claim the credit for earlier tax years
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Received a Notice? |
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I Received a Letter from IRS about EITC, What Should I Do?
We send letters about EITC that may:
- suggest you claim EITC if you do qualify
- ask you to send information to verify your EITC claim
- provide important information about your claim
This letter/notice page lets you know what you need to do if you receive a letter or notice from us about EITC.
Specialized ResourcesVisit EITC Central for tools and information specifically geared to IRS partners, community organizations, employers, government agencies and offices, and tax preparers. Missing ChildrenThe IRS is partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help search for missing children. For more information:
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