Every year, billions of dollars in tax refunds go unclaimed. That's money belonging to working people who simply didn't know to ask, and a big chunk of it is the , or EITC. If you work and don't earn a lot, this is the one to know about.

What it is

The EITC is a refundable credit, which means it can come back to you as cash even if your tax bill is zero. (If the difference between deductions and credits is fuzzy, that's a five-minute read.) For a worker with kids, the EITC can be worth several thousand dollars. Without kids, it's smaller, but it's still real money.

Who can get it

The basics: you need income from working (a job or self-employment), your total income has to be under a limit that depends on your family size, and you (and your spouse and any qualifying kids) generally need a valid . For 2026 the credit is worth up to $664 with no kids, $4,427 with one child, $7,316 with two, and $8,231 with three or more. Income limits scale with family size, from roughly $20,000 with no kids up to about $70,000 for a married couple with three kids. The numbers shift a little each year; free tax software applies the right ones for you automatically.

Tip
Filing with an means you usually can't claim the federal EITC, but several states offer their own version that ITIN filers can claim. It's worth asking a preparer about your state specifically.

You only get the EITC if you file a return, even if your income was low enough that you weren't required to file. Skipping your taxes can mean skipping thousands of dollars that are yours.

And don't pay extra to get it 'faster.' Skip the refund-advance loans with their fees. File for free through a program like or , claim the credit, and the comes.