Do You Qualify For An Earned Income Tax Credit?

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a program designed to provide tax relief for American workers with low-paying jobs. Could you qualify for this tax credit? If you have a relatively low income, take some time to find out.

Earned Income Tax Credit Qualification

Some eligible taxpayers miss out on EITC savings because they have no taxes withheld and think that they cannot possibly qualify. However, EITC is a refundable credit, meaning that even if you owe no taxes you may be eligible to get money back — as long as you file a tax return. You cannot qualify if you do not file. But if you do file, and owe no taxes, you may get a check from Uncle Sam anyway!

To claim this credit, you must meet certain requirements. First, you must have earned income. Generally, this refers to wages, salaries, tips or self-employment income. Other earned income sources include long-term disability benefits (if below minimum retirement age) and union strike benefits. Unemployment benefits such as alimony, child support, interest/dividends, and Social Security benefits do not count as earned income. Non-taxable combat pay may be classified either way — seek professional advice in that situation. You must also have a valid Social Security number and be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, and you cannot be claimed as a qualifying child of another taxpayer.

Next, your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) must be below a series of scaled limits based on filing status and the number of qualifying children that you have. A qualifying child must be a close relative (child, grandchild, stepchild, or adopted child) and younger than nineteen years of age (or 24 if a full-time student). Foster children also qualify. Details are available here. Note that only one person can claim the same child. This may cause trouble among separated or divorced parents and can put the IRS in the position to determine who can rightfully claim the credit.

AGIs are found on line 36 of Form 1040, line 21 on Form 1040A and line 4 on Form 1040-EZ. In tax year 2015 (to be filed by April 18, 2016) for single filers, heads of household, or widowers, the AGI limit is $14,820 with no qualifying children, $39,131 for one child, $44,454 for two, and $47,747 with three or more. For married filing jointly status, the corresponding limits are $20,330, $44,651, $49,974, and $53,267 respectively. The corresponding maximum tax credits range from $503 with no qualifying children to $6,242 with three or more qualifying children.

In tax year 2016 (to be filed by March 2017) the respective limits change to $14,880 for no qualifying children, $39,296 for one, $44,648 for two, and $47,955 for three or more when filing under single, head of household or widowed status. For married filing jointly, 2016 limits are $20,430, $44.846, $50,198, and $53,505 respectively. Maximum credits range from $506 (zero qualifying children) to $6,269 (three or more children).

You can get a rough idea of whether you qualify for the EITC by using an estimator from the IRSitself. For further information, consult the IRS EITC webpage. Make sure that the information relates to the correct tax year — the IRS is not always diligent in updating the status of their pages to reflect the current tax year and recent changes.

Do not let fear of tax forms stop you from claiming a tax credit that you deserve. Many people who qualify for EITC also qualify for the IRS Free File program or volunteer assistance at IRS centers. Besides, by definition, if you qualify for the EITC you are very much in need of the financial assistance that it can provide.

Get help evaluating your status if you need it, but in any case, be sure to see if you qualify for the EITC. Collect all the savings that you deserve.

This article was provided by our partners at moneytips.com