Put the Earned Income Tax Credit to work for you

Did you know you could be eligible to get more money back from the IRS in 2023 – as much as $6,935?

If you earned less than $59,187 from wages, self-employment, or farming in 2022, you may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

The Earned Income Tax Credit has continued to help improve the lives of workers, their families, and their communities for over 40 years.

Yet each year the IRS estimates one in five eligible workers go without claiming the credit. Rural and non-traditional families – such as grandparents raising grandchildren – childless workers, and non-English speaking taxpayers are among those who most frequently overlook the credit.

Who qualifies for the EITC

You may be among the millions who will qualify for the first time because of a change in your financial, marital, or parental status last year.

Unlike other tax credits, both EITC eligibility and the amount of tax credit you are eligible for is based on several factors. These include the amount of your income (or combined incomes if married), whether you have qualifying children and how many. Workers without children also may qualify for EITC.

So you do not need to be married or have a child to qualify for the EITC. You do need to have been a US citizen or a legal alien for all of 2022, have a valid social security number, and have a qualifying income. There are special qualifying rules for military members, clergy members and taxpayers and their relatives with disabilities.

To find out if you are qualified to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit, use the IRS online EITC Assistant to estimate the amount of credit you are entitled to claim.

How to get the EITC

You must file a federal income tax return claiming the credit to get it. You will receive the full amount of the EITC, even if you owe money in taxes; it is fully refundable.

For example, if you owe $500 in taxes but are eligible for a $1,000 Earned Income Tax Credit, the IRS will give you $500! For this reason, claiming the EITC may make your tax return take somewhat longer to process.

You can use this free site to claim the credit and file your taxes online. (You can use this site even if you don’t claim the EITC.)

Contact us and get free help preparing your EITC tax return!

You worked and earned it. Now put the Earned Income Tax Credit to work for you. Visit www.irs.gov/eitc to learn more about the EITC.