These are the income guidelines and credit amounts to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) when you file your taxes in 2026.
Earned Income Tax Credit Amounts
| Number of Children: | Single workers with income less than: | Married workers with income less than: | EITC up to: |
| None | $19,104 | $26,214 | $649 |
| 1 | $50,434 | $57,554 | $4,328 |
| 2 | $57,310 | $64,430 | $7,152 |
| 3 or more | $61,555 | $68,675 | $8,046 |
EITC Investment Income Limit = $11,950
To claim the EITC, you must have:
- Earned income from a job or self-employment. (There isn’t a minimum amount of income you need to earn to be eligible for the EITC.)
- Valid Social Security numbers for every person listed on your tax return.
Want to get an idea of how much EITC you may qualify for? Visit our EITC Estimator.
Child Tax Credit Amounts
The Child Tax Credit is worth a maximum of $2,200 per qualifying child. Up to $1,700 is refundable.
To claim the Child Tax Credit, you must have:
- Earned income of at least $2,500 to qualify for the refundable credit.
- Valid Social Security numbers for each qualifying child under 17 and you or your spouse. (There is not a limit on the number of eligible children that you can claim for this credit.