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Earned Income Credit - Entering in TaxAct
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TaxAct® automatically calculates the earned income credit based on the information in your return. If you have a dependent that is a qualifying child, enter your dependent information (including name, SSN, relationship to you, year of birth, number of months lived with you, and student status if ages 19 through 23) during the Basic Information questions. TaxAct will then use the dependent information in the calculation of the earned income credit. To review your dependent entries, click Basic Info and then click on Dependents. You must also enter your income information before the credit can calculate.

To enter or review your earned income credit information in TaxAct:

  1. From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), Federal. On smaller devices, click in the upper left-hand corner, then choose Federal.
  2. Click Other Credits on the Federal Quick Q&A Topics menu to expand the section and then click Earned income credit
  3. Review the qualifications for the EIC and choose any statements that apply to you, then click Continue
  4. On the screen titled Earned Income Credit - Qualifying Children, click Review to modify a child's qualifications, or click Add another child to enter information for another qualifying child. Click Continue when you are finished reviewing your qualifying child information.
  5. Make any necessary adjustments to income on the screen titled Earned Income Credit - Calculation, then click Continue
  6. Your total earned income credit amount will appear on the Earned Income Credit - Summary screen

Additional Information

The earned income tax credit is a refundable credit intended to help people who work but earn modest incomes. To qualify, earned income and adjusted gross income must each be less than:

$49,194 ($54,884 married filing jointly) with three or more qualifying children
$45,802 ($51,492 married filing jointly) with two qualifying children
$40,320 ($46,010 married filing jointly) with one qualifying child
$15,270 ($20,950 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children

The maximum credit for tax year 2018 is:

$6,431 with three or more qualifying children
$5,716 with two qualifying children
$3,461 with one qualifying child
$519 with no qualifying children

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