This year, the EITC is worth up to $5,657 if you earned less than $48,279. The Child Tax Credit is worth up to $1,000 per child.

We want to connect you to free tax services that will help you claim tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).

• Earned Income Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Retroactive EITC

Questions? Dial 2-1-1 to see if you qualify and to find a free tax site near you!

You may be able to receive up to $5,657 in Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) if you earned less than $48,279 and qualify for the credit.

The EITC is a federal tax credit for qualified low-income workers that have a valid Social Security number. This is a refundable credit, which means any amount this credit exceeds what you owe in taxes is returned back to you as a refund. Eligibility is based on your income and the number of children you have at home. Even if you did not make enough to require filing a tax return, you may still be able to receive the refund.

How Much Money Are We Talking About?

• $6 to $5,657 if you have three or more qualified children and had a family income of less than $48,279 ($43,279 for a single-parent household).
• $5 to $5,028 if you have two qualified children and had a family income of less than $45,295 ($40,295 for a single-parent household).
• $4 to $3,043 if you have one qualified child and had a family income of less than $40,463 ($35,463 for a single-parent household).
• $1 to $457 if you have no qualified children* and had a family income of less than $18,440 ($13,440 for single individuals).

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The Child Tax Credit (CTC) can be worth up to $1,000 per child.

For the CTC, the child must be under the age of 17 at the end of 2009 and lived more than half of 2009 with the taxpayer. The Additional Child Tax Credit may also be available to filers that earn more than $3,000 for 2009 or have three or more qualifying children. Filers can have either an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or Social Security Number to claim the credit.

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The EITC may be claimed retroactively if not claimed in the past 3 years.

That means if you qualified for EITC in tax years 2006, 2007, or 2008 and did not claim it, you can still receive the EITC by filing amended returns for the years that apply. Some free tax sites may be able to help you file amended returns as long as you can bring your previously filed returns for them to refer back to.

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