EITC Information for Head Start Parents

What is Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC?
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. When the EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit. To qualify, taxpayers must meet certain requirements and file a tax return, even if they did not earn enough money to be obligated to file a tax return.

How can I find out if I am eligible?
Here are some general rules that apply to the credit:

You must have earned income from employment.
You must have a valid Social Security Number.
You cannot use the "married filing separately" filing status.
You must have been a U.S. citizen or resident alien for the entire year.
You cannot file Form 2556 or 2555-EZ (related to foreign earned income).

In order to qualify for EITC, your earned income must be less than ...

$33,241 ($35,241 if married and filing jointly) with one qualifying child;
$37,783 ($39,783 if married and filing jointly) with two or more qualifying children;
$12,590 ($14,590 if married and filing jointly) with no qualifying children.

Special rules may apply for members of the U.S. armed forces and taxpayers in designated disaster areas.

Contact
For more information, including information on how to find a trained volunteer in your community that can assist you prepare your EITC request and provide you with information on other IRS tax credits, contact the IRS toll free at: 1-800-TAX-1040 or go to their web site http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96406,00.html, which has information in both English and Spanish.