Earned income and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) tables

To claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), you must have what qualifies as earned income and meet certain adjusted gross income (AGI) and credit limits for the current, previous and upcoming tax years.

Use the EITC tables to look up maximum credit amounts by tax year.

If you are unsure if you can claim the EITC, use the EITC Qualification Assistant.

Earned income

Earned income includes all the taxable income and wages you get from working for someone else, yourself or from a business or farm you own.

Types of earned income

  • Wages, salary or tips where federal income taxes are withheld on Form W-2, box 1
  • Income from a job where your employer didn’t withhold tax (such as gig economy work) including:
    • Driving a car for booked rides or deliveries
    • Running errands or doing tasks
    • Selling goods online
    • Providing creative or professional services
    • Providing other temporary, on-demand or freelance work
  • Money made from self-employment, including if you:
  • Benefits from a union strike
  • Certain disability benefits you got before you were the minimum retirement age
  • Nontaxable Combat Pay (Form W-2, box 12 with code Q)

Earned income does not include:

  • Pay you got for work when you were an inmate in a penal institution
  • Interest and dividends
  • Pensions or annuities
  • Social Security
  • Unemployment benefits
  • Alimony
  • Child support

EITC tables

Use these table organized by tax year to find the maximum amounts for:

Find the maximum AGI, investment income and credit amounts for tax year 2024.

Children or relatives claimed

Filing as single, head of household, or widowed

Filing as married filing jointly

Zero

$18,591

$25,511

One

$49,084

$56,004

Two

$55,768

$62,688

Three

$59,899

$66,819

Investment income limit: $11,600 or less

Maximum credit amounts

The maximum amount of credit:

  • No qualifying children: $632
  • 1 qualifying child: $4,213
  • 2 qualifying children: $6,960
  • 3 or more qualifying children: $7,830

Find the maximum AGI, investment income and credit amounts for tax year 2023.

Children or relatives claimed

Filing as single, head of household, or widowed

Filing as married filing jointly

Zero

$17,640

$24,210

One

$46,560

$53,120

Two

$52,918

$59,478

Three

$56,838

$63,398

Investment income limit: $11,000 or less

Maximum credit amounts

The maximum amount of credit:

  • No qualifying children: $600
  • 1 qualifying child: $3,995
  • 2 qualifying children: $6,604
  • 3 or more qualifying children: $7,430

Find the maximum AGI, investment income and credit amounts for tax year 2022.

Children or relatives claimed

Filing as single, head of household, or widowed

Filing as married filing jointly

Zero

$16,480

$22,610

One

$43,492

$49,622

Two

$49,399

$55,529

Three

$53,057

$59,187

Investment income limit: $10,300 or less

Maximum credit amounts

The maximum amount of credit:

  • No qualifying children: $560
  • 1 qualifying child: $3,733
  • 2 qualifying children: $6,164
  • 3 or more qualifying children: $6,935

Find the maximum AGI, investment income and credit amounts for tax year 2021.

Children or relatives claimed

Maximum AGI

(filing as single, head of household, widowed or married filing separately*)

Maximum AGI

(filing as married filing jointly)

Zero

$21,430

$27,380

One

$42,158

$48,108

Two

$47,915

$53,865

Three

$51,464

$57,414

Investment income limit: $10,000 or less

Maximum credit amounts

The maximum amount of credit you can claim

  • No qualifying children: $1,502

  • 1 qualifying child: $3,618

  • 2 qualifying children: $5,980

  • 3 or more qualifying children: $6,728
* Taxpayers claiming the EITC who file Married Filing Separately must meet the eligibility requirements under the special rule in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021.

Find the maximum AGI, investment income and credit amounts for tax year 2020.

Children or relatives claimed

Filing as single, head of household or widowed

Filing as married filing jointly

Zero

$15,820

$21,710

One

$41,756

$47,646

Two

$47,440

$53,330

Three

$50,594

$56,844

Investment income limit: $3,650 or less

Maximum credit amounts

The maximum amount of credit you can claim

  • No qualifying children: $538

  • 1 qualifying child: $3,584

  • 2 qualifying children: $5,920

  • 3 or more qualifying children: $6,660

Other credits you may qualify for

If you qualify for the EITC, you may also qualify for other tax credits.