Tax credits for working people and families
| Credit | Who it’s for | Paid to you if you owe no tax? |
|---|---|---|
| Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) | Low and moderate earners, more with children | Yes |
| Child Tax Credit | Parents of children under 17: up to $2,200 a child | Partly, up to $1,700 a child |
| Child and Dependent Care Credit | Parents paying for care so they can work | No |
| Saver’s Credit | Lower earners saving for retirement | No |
| American Opportunity Credit | College students and their parents | Partly |
| Premium Tax Credit | People buying health insurance on the Marketplace | Yes |
A refundable credit is paid to you even if it’s more than your tax, which is why filing matters even on a low income. Work out your own with the child tax credit calculator and, for health cover on the Marketplace, the ACA subsidy calculator.
The Earned Income Tax Credit
The EITC is the biggest credit for working people on lower incomes. It grows with every dollar you earn, levels off, then shrinks as your income rises:
Married couples filing jointly keep the full credit for about $7,300 more of income before it starts to shrink. Investment income over the limit rules you out.
You need earned income from a job or self-employment, a Social Security number valid for work, and investment income under the limit. Married people must usually file jointly. The IRS says about 1 in 5 eligible workers doesn’t claim it. The EITC calculator shows what you’d get.
How much it’s worth, and where it stops, depends on your family:
| Qualifying children | Most you can get | Ends at: single or head of household | Ends at: married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | $664 | $19,540 | $26,820 |
| 1 | $4,427 | $51,593 | $58,863 |
| 2 | $7,316 | $58,629 | $65,899 |
| 3 or more | $8,231 | $62,974 | $70,244 |
The credit at a few incomes, filing single or head of household, for 2026:
| Earned income | No children | 1 child | 2 children | 3+ children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $664 | $3,400 | $4,000 | $4,500 |
| $20,000 | – | $4,427 | $7,316 | $8,231 |
| $30,000 | – | $3,451 | $6,029 | $6,944 |
| $40,000 | – | $1,853 | $3,923 | $4,838 |
| $50,000 | – | $255 | $1,817 | $2,732 |
Benefits worth checking
- SNAP (food assistance) and WIC for pregnant women, babies and young children.
- Medicaid and CHIP for health cover on lower incomes.
- Unemployment insurance if you lose your job through no fault of your own.
- Energy help (LIHEAP) and housing assistance, run through your state or local agency.
Rules and amounts differ by state, so check with your state’s agencies too.
How to check what you can get
- USA.gov benefit finder: answer a few questions to see federal programs you may qualify for.
- The IRS EITC Assistant tells you if you qualify for the EITC and roughly how much.
- Free tax help: the IRS VITA program prepares returns for free for many people with lower incomes, and catches the credits you’re due.
Why it matters for your paycheck
Credits like the EITC come as part of your refund, not in each paycheck. If you get one, it’s worth planning for: use it to start an emergency fund or pay down expensive debt. The tax refund calculator estimates what you’ll get back.