The IRS tax credit of more than $8,000: Are you eligible to receive it?

The 2026 tax season in the United States begins on January 26. This year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will receive and process tax returns and refunds for the 2025 tax year. When filing their returns, taxpayers can claim several tax benefits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which has a maximum value of $8,046.

The Earned Income Tax Credit helps workers with low to moderate incomes. According to the IRS, if a taxpayer qualifies, the credit can be used to reduce the amount of taxes owed or to increase the size of a refund.

Eligible workers may claim between $649 and $8,046 on their tax return, depending on eligibility criteria. The amount of the credit is based on the taxpayer’s annual income and the number of qualifying children.

Requirements to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit: Are you eligible?

To qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, taxpayers must meet the following requirements:

• Have worked and earned income below $61,555 for individuals or $68,675 for married taxpayers filing jointly. The full income table is available on the IRS website.
• Have investment income of $11,950 or less during the 2025 tax year.
• Have a valid Social Security number by the due date of the 2025 tax return.
• Be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien for the entire year.
• Not file Form 2555 for foreign earned income.
• Meet specific rules if separated from a spouse and not filing a joint tax return.

The IRS provides an online assistant to help taxpayers determine their eligibility for the EITC.

How much money can you claim through the EITC?

The maximum credit amounts for the 2025 tax year are as follows:

• No qualifying children: $649
• One qualifying child: $4,328
• Two qualifying children: $7,152
• Three or more qualifying children: $8,046

How to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

The EITC is claimed by filing a federal tax return using Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. Taxpayers with a qualifying child must also file Schedule EIC (Form 1040), Earned Income Credit, to provide the required information to the IRS.

The deadline to file a tax return and claim the Earned Income Tax Credit is April 15.

When is the EITC refund issued?

After a tax return is filed, the IRS may take up to 21 days to issue refunds via direct deposit for electronically filed returns, or between 6 and 12 weeks for returns filed by mail. However, refunds that include the Earned Income Tax Credit will not begin to be issued until March 2.

For more information, visit the Earned Income Tax Credit section on the official Internal Revenue Service website.

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