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Earned Income Tax Credit

August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta

Tax

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit for low-to-moderate income working households. Maximum credit for 2026: $632 (no children), $4,213 (1 child), $6,960 (2 children), $7,830 (3+ children). Income limits scale with family size — fully refundable, so households can receive cash back beyond tax owed. Eligibility requires earned income, valid SSN, US citizen/resident, investment income under $11,950 (2026). EITC is the most significant anti-poverty program in the federal tax code. Many eligible households fail to claim it — IRS Free File and VITA programs help. Claim retroactively for 3 prior years if missed.

Tax

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