Taxpayers Can Spread The Word About Tax Credit That Benefits Friends And Family

Every year millions of new people are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit but don’t even know it. The tax credit usually means more money for the tax payer. The earned income tax credit boosts workers, their families and their communities. This credit can not only reduce the amount of taxes someone owes, it can also result in a refund. The amount of EITC taxpayers receive is based on their income, family size and filing status.

The maximum amount of credit for Tax Year 2017 is:

• $6,318 with three or more qualifying children
• $5,616 with two qualifying children
• $3,400 with one qualifying child
• $510 with no qualifying children

The IRS encourages taxpayers who have claimed and benefitted from the EITC to help spread awareness about this important credit. Here are a few ways taxpayers can help their friends, family members and neighbors find out about EITC. Tell them about:

• gov: Taxpayers who want to learn more about EITC can go to IRS.gov/eitc. They can find
  information about who qualifies for the credit and how to claim it.
• Tax help in Foreign Languages: People can pass along information from IRS.gov about EITC in
  other languages: Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Vietnamese
• EITC Assistant: This tool on IRS.gov, available in English or Spanish, walks people through a
  series of questions to find out if they qualify.
• IRS on Social media: Share a link on Facebook or Twitter. People can follow the IRS on social
  media for the latest news and information about tax credits.
• Free Tax Help from Volunteers: The IRS works with community organizations around the
  country to train volunteers who prepare taxes for people with low and moderate income. These
  volunteers can help determine if a taxpayer is eligible to claim the EITC. There are two IRS-
  sponsored programs:
  • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance: This program is also known as VITA. It offers free tax
    return preparation to eligible taxpayers who generally earn $54,000 or less.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly: TCE is mainly for people age 60 or older, but offers service to all taxpayers. The program focuses on tax issues unique to seniors. AARP participates in the TCE program through AARP Tax-Aide.