Deductions & credits
An Earned Income Credit calculator for the families who need a preparer
An earned income credit calculator on 2026 IRS parameters: households enter filing status, children, earned income and AGI to estimate the credit, and those who qualify can ask your firm to prepare the return.
Included on every plan, even the free Practitioner plan. No card needed.
How much is the Earned Income Credit for 2026?
It depends on earned income, AGI, filing status and the number of qualifying children. The credit phases in as earnings rise, plateaus at a maximum, then phases out above a threshold. Investment income above $12,2002026 · IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 disqualifies it. A calculator using the 2026 parameters gives an estimate; the IRS table settles the exact amount.
Late January, as soon as W-2s arrive
EIC filers tend to file early because the refund matters to the household budget, and refunds claiming the credit are released later in February by law. Families search in January to see whether they qualify and how big the refund could be, often before choosing between a paid preparer, a free program or software.
What the client types into a search box
“do I qualify for the earned income credit and how much will I get”
How a client works through it
Pick filing status
Married couples generally must file jointly to claim the credit.
Enter qualifying children
Zero to three or more; the credit amounts differ sharply.
Add income figures
Earned income, AGI and investment income, which has its own limit.
See the estimate
The estimated credit, the maximum for that household and where the phase-out begins.
What lands in your inbox
When a client asks your firm to review the result, the request arrives as a contact record with their inputs and results attached, by email and, on paid plans, by webhook to your CRM.
Received
Filing status, number of qualifying children, earned income and AGI tell you the likely credit and return type. A request near the phase-out threshold signals a client whose credit depends on details. Investment income close to the limit or a self-employment mix of earnings means documentation questions you should raise early.
What do the estimated credit and phase-out threshold mean?
Estimated EIC is the credit for the inputs given. Maximum Credit shows the most a household with that many children can receive, which helps clients see whether they are on the plateau or in a phase. Phase-Out Begins At tells them the income above which the credit shrinks.
The estimate can differ from the final credit by a few dollars because the IRS table uses income brackets, and it can differ by much more if a child doesn't meet the tests or a filing status is wrong. That is why the calculator frames it as an estimate and invites a review.
Results shown: Estimated EIC · Maximum Credit · Phase-Out Begins At.
Why should a tax preparer put an EIC calculator on its site?
Because the households searching for it need a correctly prepared return, and EIC returns carry due-diligence requirements for paid preparers. A calculator that sets expectations honestly, and says the qualifying-child and residency tests aren't checked, attracts clients without promising a refund amount.
It is also a community-trust tool. Firms that serve working families build reputation by being straightforward about what the credit is and isn't.
Follow-ups this request opens
- Prepare the return and complete the EIC due-diligence checklist
- Confirm qualifying-child relationship, age and residency tests
- Check eligibility for the child tax credit and other credits
- Review withholding so the household isn't relying on one refund
What this calculator leaves out
- Does not verify qualifying-child relationship, age or residency tests, or valid Social Security numbers.
- Taxpayers with no qualifying children must meet age requirements that are not checked.
- The IRS EIC table uses income brackets, so the exact credit can differ by a few dollars.
- State earned income credits are not included.
Platform disclaimer shown under the calculator: Estimates only, using 2026 IRS EITC parameters (Rev. Proc. 2025-32); the IRS EIC table uses $50 income brackets, so your figure may differ by a few dollars. Actual eligibility depends on additional rules (valid SSNs, U.S. residency, qualifying-child tests; with no qualifying children you must be 25–64). Investment income above $12,200 disqualifies the credit. Confirm with IRS guidance or a tax professional.
Compliance note for firms
Paid preparers claiming the EIC have due-diligence obligations, including Form 8867. A calculator estimate is not evidence of eligibility. Keep the calculator's language neutral (no 'guaranteed refund' wording in the title or button text), which also keeps the page within Circular 230 §10.30's ban on misleading advertising.
Not legal advice. See our disclaimer and the guide to compliance for client calculators.
2026 figures this page relies on
| Figure | Value | Tax year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earned Income Credit investment-income limit | $12,200 | 2026 | IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 |
| Federal income tax brackets and standard deduction | 2026 brackets and standard deductions (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) | 2026 | IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, as amended by the 2025 tax law |
The same values drive the calculator. Full list on the 2026 figures page.
Terms your client sees in the calculator
These definitions appear in the calculator's collapsible Definitions block, so clients don't have to call to ask what a label means.
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
- A refundable federal tax credit for workers with low to moderate earned income. Refundable means any amount above the tax you owe is paid to you as a refund. The credit rises with earnings up to a maximum, holds flat, then phases out as income grows. This calculator uses 2026 IRS parameters (Rev. Proc. 2025-32).
- Earned income
- Wages, salaries, tips and net earnings from self-employment. It is the income the credit is built on: the credit grows as earned income rises until it reaches the maximum. Unemployment benefits, pensions, Social Security, interest and dividends do not count as earned income here, so they do not raise the credit.
- Adjusted gross income (AGI)
- Total income minus certain adjustments, such as deductible IRA contributions or student loan interest, as reported on your federal return. For the EITC, when AGI is above the phase-out threshold, the credit is figured on both earned income and AGI and the smaller result applies. That is why the calculator asks for both figures.
- Qualifying child
- A child who meets the IRS relationship, age, residency and joint-return tests for the EITC. The number of qualifying children sets both the maximum credit and the income range over which it phases out. With no qualifying children the credit is much smaller and, under the 2026 rules this calculator uses, you must be 25 to 64 years old.
- Filing status
- The category you file under on your federal return, such as single, head of household or married filing jointly. For the EITC, married couples filing jointly get a higher phase-out threshold, so the credit continues to a higher income. The maximum credit itself depends on the number of qualifying children, not on filing status.
- Maximum credit
- The largest EITC available for your number of qualifying children in the tax year. You receive it once earned income reaches a certain level and keep it until income passes the phase-out threshold. The calculator displays it next to your estimate so you can see how far your credit is from the ceiling.
In our glossary: Earned income credit · Adjusted gross income
Earned Income Credit (EIC) calculator: questions from firms and clients
Who qualifies for the Earned Income Credit?
Workers with earned income below the limits for their filing status and family size, who meet residency and identification rules. Taxpayers with no qualifying children must also meet age rules. The calculator checks income only.
Is there an investment income limit?
Yes. Investment income above $12,2002026 · IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 disqualifies the credit entirely.
Why might my credit differ from the estimate?
The IRS table uses income brackets, and eligibility tests the calculator doesn't check can change or remove the credit. A preparer confirms both.
Does the calculator include the child tax credit?
No. It estimates the Earned Income Credit only. Many households qualify for both, which is a reason to have the return prepared.
Can married couples filing separately claim it?
Only in limited circumstances. Most married couples must file jointly to claim the credit; the firm should confirm.
Why are EIC refunds delayed?
By law, the IRS holds refunds that claim the credit until mid-February. Setting that expectation early avoids frustrated clients.
Can we offer this calculator in Spanish?
Yes. Every calculator can show in Spanish, which many EIC-focused practices need, and also in Simplified Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Arabic.
Which plan includes it?
Every plan, including the free Practitioner plan, which runs up to 5 calculators at once alongside the other tax tools. Firm (up to 50) and Network (no cap) add webhooks and white-label. See pricing.
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Next entry
Answer the January question before the client calls
Embed the Earned Income Credit (EIC) calculator on your firm's site in an afternoon and receive requests with the numbers already filled in.
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