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What is the Earned Income Credit? Find Out If You Qualify

Written by a TurboTax Expert • Reviewed by a TurboTax CPAUpdated for Tax Year 2024 • October 16, 2024 1:41 AM
OVERVIEW

While millions of households already claim this special break for workers with modest incomes, the IRS says many more are eligible for the credit but fail to take it. The rules were recently liberalized, so more households are eligible. Take a few minutes to make sure you don't miss out on a credit that could bring you a refund check.

 

Key Takeaways

  • If you earned less than $66,819 (if Married Filing Jointly) or $59,899 (if filing as Single, Qualifying Surviving Spouse or Head of Household) in tax year 2024, you may qualify for the Earned Income Credit (EIC). These amounts increased from $63,398 and $56,838, respectively, for 2023.
  • If you received more than $11,600 in investment income or income from rentals, royalties, or stock and other asset sales during 2024, you can't qualify for the EIC. This amount increased from $11,000 in 2023.
  • You have to be 25 or older but under 65 to qualify for the EIC. You also have to have lived in the United States for more than half of the year and can't be a dependent of another person.
  • In 2024, you can earn up to $18,591 ($25,511 if married and filing a joint) with no qualifying children. These amounts increased from $17,640 and $24,210, respectively, in 2023.

Can I claim the Earned Income Credit?

If you were married filing jointly and earned less than $66,819 ($59,899 for those filing as Single, Qualifying Surviving Spouse or Head of Household) in 2024, you may qualify for this tax credit, or even for a refund check. It's complicated, but the Earned Income Credit (EIC) is worth exploring if you or someone you know has modest earnings. These thresholds increased from $63,398 for those filing as Married Filing Jointly and $56,838 for other filing statuses for 2023.

  • The credit reduces any federal income tax you owe, dollar-for-dollar.
  • If the credit completely eliminates your tax bill, and some credit is still left over, you can actually get a cash refund for the remaining amount.

To help you find out if you qualify, TurboTax asks simple questions so you can get the largest possible credit.

Tests for qualifying

First you have to qualify. Then your income has to be within stated limits. Finally, if you have one or more kids, they have to qualify too for you to receive a larger credit. If you pass all these tests, you could get a credit of as much as $7,830 for 2024, or $7,430 for 2023, depending on your income and the number of children you have.

Once you determine that you qualify for the credit, use the Earned Income Credit table found in the instructions for Form 1040 to look up your income and find out the amount of credit you're entitled to.

You typically qualify if:

  • You have income from earnings (for example, from a job, your own business, union strike benefits, certain long-term disability benefits).
  • You did not receive more than $11,600 in investment income such as interest or dividends, or income from rentals, royalties or stock and other asset sales during 2024. This increased from $11,000 for 2023.
  • You are single or, if married, do not use the Married Filing Separate status (there is an exception for 2021 for married couples filing separately).
  • You, your spouse and children, if applicable, all have Social Security numbers.
  • You and your spouse are not considered as a qualifying child of someone else.
  • You are not excluding any income you earned in a foreign country on your return.
  • You are a citizen or resident of the United States.
  • You have dependents, or if you don't, you are at least 25 or older but under 65, not qualify as a dependent of another person and lived in the United States for more than half of the year.

How much can I earn and still qualify?

This credit is targeted at households with modest incomes, so if you earn "too much" you may not qualify. Just how much can you earn and still qualify? It depends on how many qualifying children you have (we'll define this in a moment). Those with the lowest income qualify for the biggest credits. Those with incomes above the phase-out threshold qualify for lower credits until they reach the point where the credit is eliminated completely. The rules have been liberalized to result in higher credits for many households, especially those with three or more qualifying children.

The following table shows the 2024 income limits for receiving credits and the maximum 2024 credit amounts.

If you have:Your earned income (and adjusted gross income) has to be less than these amounts to receive any credit:Your maximum credit will be:
No qualifying children$18,591 ($25,511 if married and filing a joint return)$632
1 qualifying child$49,084 ($56,004 if married and filing a joint return)$4,213
2 or more qualifying children$55,768 ($62,688 if married and filing a joint return)$6,960
3 or more qualifying children$59,899 ($66,819 if married and filing a joint return)$7,830

The following table shows the 2023 income limits for receiving credits and the maximum 2023 credit amounts.

If you have:Your earned income (and adjusted gross income) has to be less than these amounts to receive any credit:Your maximum credit will be:
No qualifying children$17,640 ($24,210 if married and filing a joint return)$600
1 qualifying child$46,560 ($53,120 if married and filing a joint return)$3,995
2 or more qualifying children$52,918 ($59,478 if married and filing a joint return)$6,604
3 or more qualifying children$56,838 ($63,398 if married and filing a joint return)$7,430

 

TurboTax Tip:

Qualifying children can include your son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child or a descendant, foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of one of these, provided they are age 18 or younger as of the end of the year (or 23 or young if the child is a full-time student). A person who's permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year qualifies, no matter how old.

 

Special rules for tax years 2020 and 2021

The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) was signed into law on December 27, 2020, as a stimulus measure to provide relief to those affected by the pandemic. For tax year 2020, the CAA allows taxpayers to use their 2019 earned income if it was higher than their 2020 earned income in calculating the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) as well as the Earned Income Credit (EIC). For 2021, you are allowed to use your 2019 or 2021 earned income based on whichever one gives you the highest credit.

Does my child qualify?

To qualify, the child has to be:

  • Your son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child or a descendant.
  • Your foster child, placed with you by an authorized agency or court order.
  • Your brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of one of these.
  • Age 18 or younger as of the end of the year (unless the child is a full-time student, in which case the student has to be 23 or younger). Exception: A person who is permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year qualifies, no matter how old.
  • A resident with you in the United States for more than half of the year.

Example:

You and your sister live together. You are 30 and your sister is 15. When your parents died two years ago, you took over the care of your sister, but you did not adopt her. She is considered a qualifying child because she lived with you more than half of the year.

Who is an eligible foster child?

For the Earned Income Credit, a foster child is defined as an individual who is placed with you by an authorized placement agency or court order. The child is required to have lived with you for more than half of the year.

What about my welfare benefits?

The Earned Income Credit has no effect on certain welfare benefits. Any refund you receive because of the EIC generally will not be considered income when determining whether you are eligible for, or how much you can receive from, the following benefit programs:

  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Food stamps
  • Low-income housing

For more information on whether you qualify for the credit, use the TurboTax program. An overview is also available in Publication 962: Possible Federal Tax Refund Due to the Earned Income Credit.

For complete details, see IRS Publication 596: Earned Income Credit (EIC).

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  • 1099-Ks: Those filing in TurboTax Free Edition, TurboTax Live Assisted Basic or TurboTax Live Full Service Basic will be able to file a limited IRS Schedule 1 if they have hobby income or personal property rental income reported on a Form 1099-K, and/or a limited IRS Schedule D if they have personal item sales with no gain reported on Form 1099-K. Those filing in TurboTax Deluxe, TurboTax Live Assisted Deluxe or TurboTax Live Full Service Deluxe will be able to file a limited IRS Schedule D if they have personal item sales income reported on Form 1099-K. If you add other schedules or forms, or need to report other types of income on Schedules 1, D, E, F, or Form 4835 you may be required to upgrade to another TurboTax product.

  • 1099-K Snap and Autofill: Available in mobile app and mobile web only.

  • 1099-NEC Snap and Autofill: Available in TurboTax Premium (formerly Self-Employed) and TurboTax Live Assisted Premium (formerly Self-Employed). Available in mobile app only. Feature available within Schedule C tax form for TurboTax filers with 1099-NEC income.

  • Year-Round Tax Estimator: Available in TurboTax Premium (formerly Self-Employed) and TurboTax Live Assisted Premium (formerly Self-Employed). This product feature is only available after you finish and file in a self-employed TurboTax product.

  • Refer a Friend: Maximum of $500 in total rewards for 20 referrals. See official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Refer your Expert (Intuit's own experts): Maximum of $500 in total rewards for 20 referrals. See official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Refer your Expert (TurboTax Verified Pro): Maximum of $500 in total rewards for 20 referrals. See official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Average Refund Amount: $3,207 is the average refund amount American taxpayers received in the 2024 filing season based upon IRS data as of February 16, 2024 and may not reflect actual refund amount received. Each taxpayer's refund will vary based on their tax situation.

  • More self-employed deductions: based on the median amount of expenses found by TurboTax Premium (formerly Self Employed) customers who synced accounts, imported and categorized transactions compared to manual entry. Individual results may vary.

  • TurboTax Online Business Products: For TurboTax Live Assisted Business and TurboTax Full Service Business, we currently don't support the following tax situations: C-Corps (Form 1120) and entities electing to be treated as a C-Corp, Trust/Estates (Form 1041), Tax Exempt Entities/Non-Profits, returns that require more than 5 state filings, and other issues unrelated to the preparation of a tax return or unrelated to business income/franchise taxes. TurboTax Live Assisted Business is currently available only in AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, and WY.

  • Audit Defense: Audit Defense is a third-party add-on service provided, for an additional fee, by TaxResources, Inc., dba Tax Audit. Audit Defense is included at no added cost with business returns filed with TurboTax Live Business (excluding Sole Proprietor). See Membership Agreements at https://www.intuit.com/legal/terms/ for service terms and conditions.

TURBOTAX DESKTOP GUARANTEES

TurboTax Desktop Individual Returns:

  • 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee - Individual Returns: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, we'll pay you the penalty and interest. Excludes payment plans. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Maximum Refund Guarantee / Maximum Tax Savings Guarantee - or Your Money Back - Individual Returns: If you get a larger refund or smaller tax due from another tax preparation method by filing an amended return, we'll refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state software license purchase price you paid. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Audit Support Guarantee - Individual Returns: If you receive an audit letter from the IRS or State Department of Revenue based on your 2024 TurboTax individual tax return, we will provide one-on-one question-and-answer support with a tax professional, if requested through our Audit Support Center, for audited individual returns filed with TurboTax Desktop for the current 2024 tax year and, for individual, non-business returns, for the past two tax years (2022, 2023). Audit support is informational only. We will not represent you before the IRS or state tax authority or provide legal advice. If we are not able to connect you to one of our tax professionals, we will refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state license purchase price you paid. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement  for details.

  • Satisfaction Guarantee/ 60-Day Money Back Guarantee: If you're not completely satisfied with TurboTax Desktop software, go to refundrequest.intuit.com within 60 days of purchase and follow the process listed to submit a refund request. You must return this product using your license code or order number and dated receipt. Desktop add-on products and services purchased are non-refundable.

TurboTax Desktop Business Returns:

  • 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee - Business Returns: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, we'll pay you the penalty and interest. Excludes payment plans. You are responsible for paying any additional tax liability you may owe. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement  for details.

  • Maximum Tax Savings Guarantee - Business Returns: If you get a smaller tax due (or larger business tax refund) from another tax preparation method using the same data, TurboTax will refund the applicable TurboTax Business Desktop license purchase price you paid. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement  for details.

  • Satisfaction Guarantee/ 60-Day Money Back Guarantee: If you're not completely satisfied with TurboTax Desktop software, go to refundrequest.intuit.com within 60 days of purchase and follow the process listed to submit a refund request. You must return this product using your license code or order number and dated receipt. Desktop add-on products and services purchased are non-refundable.

TURBOTAX DESKTOP DISCLAIMERS

  • Installation Requirements: Product download, installation and activation requires an Intuit Account and internet connection. Product limited to one account per license code. You must accept the TurboTax License Agreement to use this product. Not for use by paid preparers.

  • TurboTax Desktop Products: Price includes tax preparation and printing of federal tax returns and free federal e-file of up to 5 federal tax returns. Additional fees apply for e-filing state returns. E-file fees may not apply in certain states, check here for details. Savings and price comparison based on anticipated price increase. Software updates and optional online features require internet connection. Desktop add-on products and services purchased are non-refundable.

  • Fastest Refund Possible: Get your tax refund from the IRS as fast as possible by e-filing and choosing to receive your refund by direct deposit. Tax refund time frames will vary. The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days.

  • Average Refund Amount: $3,207 is the average refund amount American taxpayers received in the 2024 filing season based upon IRS data as of February 16, 2024 and may not reflect actual refund amount received.

  • TurboTax Technical Support: Customer service and technical support hours and options vary by time of year.

  • Deduct From Your Federal Refund: Individual taxes only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Additional terms apply. A $40 Refund Processing Service fee applies to this payment. method. Prices are subject to change without notice.

  • Data Import: Imports financial data from participating companies; Requires Intuit Account. Quicken and QuickBooks import not available with TurboTax installed on a Mac. Imports from Quicken (2022 and higher) and QuickBooks Desktop (2023 and higher); both Windows only. Quicken import not available for TurboTax Desktop Business. Quicken products provided by Quicken Inc., Quicken import subject to change.

  • Live Tax Advice: Access to tax experts to obtain answers to tax questions and to assist with tax year 2024 return(s) prepared with TurboTax Desktop software. Additional fees apply. Must be purchased and used by October 31, 2025. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business. See License Agreement for details.

  • Audit Defense: Audit Defense is a third-party add-on service provided, for a fee, by TaxResources, Inc., dba Tax Audit. See Membership Agreements at https://turbotax.intuit.com/corp/softwarelicense/ for service terms and conditions.

All features, services, support, prices, offers, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

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