Estimate your potential Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) based on your filing status, income, and qualifying children.
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Head of Household
0
1
2
3
Your Estimated EITC:
—
Understanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), sometimes referred to as the Earned Income Credit (EIC), is a refundable tax credit for low-to-moderate-income working individuals and couples. It's designed to help reduce the tax burden for those who earn income through employment. The credit amount varies based on income, filing status, and the number of qualifying children.
How the EITC Works
The EITC is calculated based on several factors, including your earned income, your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), your filing status, and the number of qualifying children you have. The credit is 'refundable', meaning that if the credit is more than the tax you owe, you can get the difference back as a refund.
Key Calculation Factors:
Earned Income: This includes wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable compensation from working.
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI): Your AGI is your gross income minus certain deductions. For EITC purposes, your AGI cannot be higher than your earned income.
Filing Status: The rules and income thresholds differ for single filers, married couples filing jointly, and heads of household.
Number of Qualifying Children: Having one or more qualifying children significantly increases the potential credit amount.
Qualifying Child Rules:
To be a qualifying child for EITC purposes, a child must meet several tests:
Age Test: The child must be under age 19 at the end of the tax year, or under age 24 if a full-time student, or any age if permanently and totally disabled.
Relationship Test: The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them (e.g., grandchild, niece, nephew).
Residency Test: The child must have lived with you in the United States for more than half of the year.
Joint Return Test: The child cannot file a joint return with their spouse (unless filed only to claim a refund).
If you do not have a qualifying child, you may still be eligible for the EITC if you meet certain criteria (e.g., age requirements, residency, and income limits).
Income Limits and Credit Phase-out
The EITC has income limitations. Both your earned income and your AGI must be below certain thresholds. If your income is too high, you will not qualify for the credit. The credit amount also "phases out" as your income increases, meaning the credit amount decreases once you pass a certain income level.
Disclaimer
This calculator provides an estimate of your potential EITC. Tax laws are complex and can change. For definitive calculations and advice, please consult a qualified tax professional or refer to official IRS publications.
function calculateEITC() {
var earnedIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("earnedIncome").value);
var agi = parseFloat(document.getElementById("agi").value);
var childCount = parseInt(document.getElementById("childCount").value);
var filingStatus = document.getElementById("filingStatus").value;
var resultValue = 0;
var eligibilityMessage = "";
// Basic validation: Ensure inputs are numbers and not negative
if (isNaN(earnedIncome) || earnedIncome < 0 ||
isNaN(agi) || agi 3
// Check overall income limit first
var overallLimit = generalIncomeLimits[childCount] || generalIncomeLimits[3];
if (calculationIncome > overallLimit) {
resultValue = 0;
eligibilityMessage = "Your income is too high to qualify for the EITC.";
} else {
// Determine the phase-out parameters based on filing status and children
var phaseOutStart = 0;
var phaseOutEnd = 0;
var phaseOutRate = 0.0765; // Default phase-out rate for 1-3 children
if (filingStatus === 'married_filing_jointly') {
if (childCount === 0) {
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_no_children.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_no_children.end;
phaseOutRate = 0.1595; // Different rate for no children
} else if (childCount === 1) {
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_one_child.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_one_child.end;
} else if (childCount === 2) {
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_two_children.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_two_children.end;
} else { // 3 or more children
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_three_or_more_children.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.mfj_three_or_more_children.end;
}
} else { // Single, Head of Household
if (childCount === 0) {
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.single_no_children.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.single_no_children.end;
phaseOutRate = 0.1595; // Different rate for no children
} else if (childCount === 1) {
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.single_one_child.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.single_one_child.end;
} else if (childCount === 2) {
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.single_two_children.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.single_two_children.end;
} else { // 3 or more children
phaseOutStart = phaseOutThresholds.single_three_or_more_children.start;
phaseOutEnd = phaseOutThresholds.single_three_or_more_children.end;
}
}
// Simplified calculation logic
// For income below the phase-out start, the credit is the maximum possible (or a percentage of earned income for no children).
// For income within the phase-out range, the credit decreases.
// For income above the phase-out end, the credit is zero.
if (calculationIncome = phaseOutStart && calculationIncome 17640) { // Example limit for no children (2023)
resultValue = 0;
eligibilityMessage = "Your earned income exceeds the limit for EITC without qualifying children.";
} else if (childCount === 1 && earnedIncome > 49399) { // Example limit for 1 child (2023)
resultValue = 0;
eligibilityMessage = "Your earned income exceeds the limit for EITC with one qualifying child.";
} else if (childCount === 2 && earnedIncome > 59184) { // Example limit for 2 children (2023)
resultValue = 0;
eligibilityMessage = "Your earned income exceeds the limit for EITC with two qualifying children.";
} else if (childCount >= 3 && earnedIncome > 69399) { // Example limit for 3+ children (2023)
resultValue = 0;
eligibilityMessage = "Your earned income exceeds the limit for EITC with three or more qualifying children.";
}
// Final check for non-negative result
resultValue = Math.max(0, resultValue);
// Round to two decimal places
resultValue = parseFloat(resultValue.toFixed(2));
if (resultValue === 0) {
eligibilityMessage = "Based on the information provided, you may not qualify for the EITC.";
} else {
// Refine eligibility message if calculation yielded a positive result
if (eligibilityMessage === "You may qualify for the EITC." || eligibilityMessage === "Your EITC is phasing out due to income.") {
eligibilityMessage = "You may be eligible for the EITC. The estimated credit is shown below.";
}
}
}
document.getElementById("result-value").innerText = "$" + resultValue.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("eligibility-message").innerText = eligibilityMessage;
}