If you qualify for the EITC, you are eligible to file for free and to receive no-cost in-person tax help through the VITA program. Even if you aren’t eligible for the EITC, VITA is available for people with household incomes up to $60,000, people with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers.
ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) holders are not eligible for the federal EITC, however ITIN filers are eligible for the CalEITC credit for the first time ever. Learn more about ITIN filers.
If you file your taxes with a Social Security Number, in most cases, you will be eligible for the federal EITC if you are eligible for the CalEITC. If you are between the ages of 25 and 65, are single and have no dependents, you must make less than $18,591 to qualify for the federal EITC.
If you are married filing jointly, are between the ages of 25 and 65, and have no dependents, you must make $25,511 or less to qualify for the federal EITC. If you have dependents and qualify for the CalEITC, you will also qualify for the federal EITC.
Yes. 1099 income counts for the federal EITC, the CalEITC, and the Young Child Tax Credit. Read more about eligibility here.
To protect yourself from fraud and to file your taxes for FREE, you can get your taxes done at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) location by a certified tax preparer. VITA services begin February 1st, and you can use our free tax preparation locator to find a site near you.
No! Claiming tax credits will not affect any of the other public benefits you might receive. Tax credits, like the CalEITC and EITC, are not considered public benefits under the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services public charge rule. Read more about public benefits.
Yes! A criminal history does not impact your ability to claim the EITC, CalEITC, or Young Child Tax Credit.
If you want to claim your EITC, you must file your tax returns.
Below are the documents you need to when you file your tax returns:
Yes! You’re still eligible for both the federal EITC, the CalEITC and the Young Child Tax Credit.
If you participate in DACA and applied for a Social Security Number that allows you to work, you can use that number or an ITIN (Individual Tax Identification Number) when claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Eligibility requirements change each year, so it’s worth checking your eligibility when you file your tax returns each year.
No. If your parents claim you as a dependent, you are not eligible for the EITC.
Yes! You qualify. If you do not have any dependents and meet the income requirements, you are eligible. If you have dependents and meet the income requirements, your age is not a factor in eligibility.
The only way to get the federal and/or state EITC is to file your tax returns. So yes, you need to file your taxes to get the EITC.