EITC Calculator — Free 2025/2026 Earned Income Tax Credit Estimator

What's your Earned Income Tax Credit worth?

The federal Earned Income Tax Credit is worth up to $8,231 depending on how many qualifying children you have and how much you earn — but it phases IN with earned income, plateaus at a maximum, then phases OUT again, and IRS Publication 596's own worksheet computes it twice (once from earned income, once from AGI) and keeps the smaller result. This applies the phase-in/phase-out formula, the investment income limit, and the AGI comparison.

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1. Filing status & income

Filing status

Earned income ($)

Adjusted gross income (AGI) ($)

Investment income ($)

Qualifying children

I am (or, on a joint return, my spouse is) age 25 through 64 at year-end, not claimed as a dependent, and lived in the US more than half the year

Fill in filing status, income, and qualifying children, then click Calculate.

What this does not cover

Not a full tax return. This estimates the EITC only — not your total tax liability, other deductions or credits, or state tax (many states offer their own EITC on top of the federal one).
Age, residency, relationship, and investment income are self-reported — this tool does not verify any of them.
Qualifying-child tests (relationship, residency, age, joint-return) are assumed already met — this tool does not determine who counts as a qualifying child.
Federal only. Most states with their own EITC compute it as a percentage of the federal credit — check your state.

Common questions

How much is the Earned Income Tax Credit?

Up to $664 with no qualifying children, $4,427 with one child, $7,316 with two children, or $8,231 with three or more children, for 2026. The credit phases in with earned income, plateaus at the maximum, then phases out at higher income -- see the phase-out question below.

Does the credit depend on earned income or AGI?

Both. IRS Publication 596's own EIC Worksheet method computes the credit twice -- once using earned income, once using adjusted gross income (AGI) -- with the identical phase-in/plateau/phase-out formula, and the final credit is the SMALLER of the two results. A filer with low earned income but higher AGI (investment income under the limit, unemployment, a working spouse) can be phased out by AGI even though an earned-income-only lookup would suggest a larger credit -- the detail a hand calculation almost always misses.

What is the investment income limit?

$12,200 for 2026. If investment income (interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income) exceeds that limit, the EITC is disallowed entirely, regardless of how low earned income or AGI is.

Can I claim the EITC with no qualifying children?

Yes, but only if the filer (or, on a joint return, at least one spouse) is age 25 through 64 at year-end, is not claimed as a dependent, and lived in the US more than half the year.

Can I claim it if I file married filing separately?

Generally no. The one exception: a qualifying child lived with you more than half the year AND you lived apart from your spouse for the last six months of the year (or are legally separated). That narrow case is treated like a single filer, using the single/head-of-household phase-out thresholds rather than the higher joint ones.

Is this tax advice?

No. This calculator applies the published statutory amounts, phase-in/phase-out formula, and eligibility rules to the numbers and checkboxes you enter. It is not a full tax return, does not verify age, residency, or relationship, and is not a substitute for reviewing the IRS's own guidance or consulting a qualified tax professional before you file.