What the EITC is
The Earned Income Tax Credit is a credit for workers with low to moderate income. It is refundable: if it is bigger than the tax you owe, the IRS pays you the difference. For many gig workers and freelancers it is the reason their tax bill turns into a refund.
It works in three stages: the credit grows with your earned income, stays at its maximum for a while, and then shrinks as your income rises until it disappears.
The 2026 amounts
| Qualifying children | Maximum credit | Earned income to reach it | Credit ends at (single, head of household) | Credit ends at (married filing jointly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | $664 | $8,680 | $19,540 | $26,820 |
| 1 | $4,427 | $13,020 | $51,593 | $58,863 |
| 2 | $7,316 | $18,290 | $58,629 | $65,899 |
| 3 or more | $8,231 | $18,290 | $62,974 | $70,244 |
Your investment income (interest, dividends and similar) must be $12,200 or less. The income limits apply to the higher of your earned income and your adjusted gross income.
How self-employment income counts
For an employee, earned income is basically the W-2 wages. For a 1099 worker it is:
Schedule C profit − the deductible half of self-employment tax
The Form 1040 instructions walk you through it on EIC Worksheet B, and tax software does it for you. Two consequences matter:
- Every business expense lowers your earned income. You still have to claim all of them: the IRS requires you to use your real profit, not a number chosen to maximize the credit.
- You must pay self-employment tax on the same profit. File Schedule SE correctly; if you don’t, you may not get all the credit you are entitled to.
In years with a very low profit, the optional methods on Schedule SE can raise your net earnings and, with them, your credit. The Schedule SE instructions explain when you can use them.
Examples for 2026
A single parent with one child, filing as head of household, drives for delivery apps and has a Schedule C profit of $22,000. Their earned income for the credit is $20,446.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Self-employment tax | $3,109 |
| Federal income tax | $0 |
| EITC | $4,427 |
The credit covers the whole self-employment tax and leaves about $1,318 as a refund, if no other credits or payments change the picture.
A single worker with no children, age 25 or older, with $12,000 of profit, gets $642: slightly less than the maximum, because their income is already past the point where the credit starts to shrink. It lowers the $1,696 of self-employment tax but does not cover it.
A single parent with two children and $35,000 of profit gets $5,497, already reduced from the $7,316 maximum. The child tax credit, which is not included here, can lower their income tax further.
Who qualifies
- A Social Security number valid for employment for you, your spouse if you file jointly, and each child you claim, issued by the due date of the return (including extensions). An ITIN does not qualify.
- U.S. citizen or resident alien all year.
- Without qualifying children: at least 25 and under 65 at the end of the year, among other rules.
- Married filing separately: only in limited cases, for example if you lived apart from your spouse for the last six months of the year and have a qualifying child.
- Investment income of $12,200 or less.
A qualifying child must meet tests of relationship, age, residency (living with you more than half the year in the U.S.) and joint return. Publication 596 explains each one.
Claiming it and getting paid
- File a return, even if you owe no income tax. The credit is only paid if you file.
- Complete Schedule EIC if you claim a qualifying child.
- Expect your refund after mid-February. By law, the IRS cannot issue refunds before then on returns that claim the EITC, and it holds the whole refund, not only the credit.
Keep your records
Returns that combine Schedule C income and the EITC can get a close look from the IRS. Keep what proves your income and expenses: 1099s, app earnings statements, bank deposits, receipts and a mileage log. For children, keep what shows they lived with you, such as school or medical records. If the IRS writes to you, our guide on what to do with an IRS letter explains how to respond.
To see your self-employment tax and federal income tax before the credit, use our 1099 tax calculator.