Child Tax Credit Calculator
Estimate your 2026 Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, and Credit for Other Dependents using AGI, earned income, filing status, and dependent counts.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Calculator
Free EITC calculator. Estimate your 2026 federal Earned Income Tax Credit based on income, filing status, and qualifying children. Check likely eligibility and credit size.
$
$
Must be $12,200 or less to qualify
$
Estimated EITC
$4,249.62
Phase-Out zone — 96% of maximum $4,427.00
Eligibility Check
✓Filing status eligible
✓Investment income ≤ $12,200
✓Income used for phase-out ≤ $51,593.00
EITC Amount⧉
$4,249.62
Maximum EITC⧉
$4,427.00
1 qualifying child
Zone⧉
Phase-Out
% of Maximum⧉
96%
2026 EITC Maximums by Children
| Children | Max Credit | Income Limit (Single) | Income Limit (MFJ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $664.00 | $19,540.00 | $26,820.00 |
| 1 ← | $4,427.00 | $51,593.00 | $58,863.00 |
| 2 | $7,316.00 | $58,629.00 | $65,899.00 |
| 3+ | $8,231.00 | $62,974.00 | $70,244.00 |
This is a simplified estimator. It uses the 2026 IRS EITC table, but it does not model every qualification rule or special exception.
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Calculator
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Calculator estimates your federal EITC based on earned income, filing status, and the number of qualifying children you claim. The EITC is a refundable tax credit for low-to-moderate income workers, so it can create a refund even when you owe no income tax.
For 2026, the maximum EITC ranges from $664 (no children) to $8,231 (three or more children). The credit phases in as you earn income, stays flat for a middle range, then phases out at higher income levels. This calculator uses the official 2026 IRS table, but it is still a simplified estimator: it does not model every qualifying-child rule, age rule, residency rule, SSN rule, or limited Married Filing Separately exception.
Enter your earned income, filing status, and qualifying children to see your estimated EITC, the zone you are in, and the income limits that apply to the table shown on this page.
When This Page Helps
The EITC can be worth up to $8,231 in 2026 and is still missed by many eligible households. This calculator gives you a quick estimate using the official IRS table so you can sanity-check your refund range before filing.
How to Use the Inputs
- Select your filing status from the options shown (Single, MFJ, MFS, or HoH).
- Enter your total earned income (wages, salary, self-employment).
- Enter your adjusted gross income (AGI) if different from earned income.
- Select the number of qualifying children (0, 1, 2, or 3+).
- View your estimated EITC and eligibility status.
- See how the credit changes across the phase-in, plateau, and phase-out ranges.
Formula used
Base Credit = MIN(Earned Income x Phase-In Rate, Maximum Credit)
Phase-Out Income = MAX(Earned Income, AGI)
If Phase-Out Income <= Phase-Out Start, Credit = Base Credit
If Phase-Out Income >= Phase-Out End, Credit = $0
Otherwise, Credit = MAX(Base Credit - (Phase-Out Income - Phase-Out Start) x Phase-Out Rate, 0)
This calculator uses the higher of earned income or AGI for the phase-out test.Example Calculation
Result: EITC: $4,249.62
For a single filer with 1 qualifying child and $25,000 earned income, the credit is in the phase-out range. The 2026 maximum credit is $4,427 and the phase-out starts at $23,890. Phase-out amount = ($25,000 - $23,890) x 15.98% = $177.38. Estimated EITC = $4,427 - $177.38 = $4,249.62.
Tips & Best Practices
- Investment income must be $12,200 or less to qualify for the 2026 EITC.
- Self-employment income counts as earned income, so gig workers may qualify.
- You must file a tax return to claim the EITC, even if your income is below the filing threshold.
- Both you and your spouse, if MFJ, must have valid Social Security numbers.
- The calculator treats Married Filing Separately as generally ineligible, with limited exceptions not modeled here.
- If you have no children, the childless EITC also has age and residency rules this calculator does not fully test.
How the 2026 EITC Works
The EITC has three zones: phase-in, plateau, and phase-out. The IRS sets the maximum credit and the income thresholds each year. For 2026, the official maximum credit is $664 with no qualifying children, $4,427 with one child, $7,316 with two children, and $8,231 with three or more children.
2026 Income Limits
For filing statuses other than MFJ, the credit phases out at $19,540 (0 children), $51,593 (1 child), $58,629 (2 children), and $62,974 (3+ children). For MFJ, the corresponding completed phase-out amounts are $26,820, $58,863, $65,899, and $70,244. Investment income must stay at or below $12,200.
Limitations
This is a simplified estimator. It does not verify every IRS rule that can affect eligibility, including child relationship and residency tests, Social Security number rules, childless age rules, and the limited Married Filing Separately exceptions. Use it as a fast estimate, not as a substitute for the IRS EITC Assistant or return preparation software.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Methodology
This calculator uses the official 2026 IRS EITC maximum credits and income thresholds from Revenue Procedure 2025-32, and the IRS-published EITC phase-in/phase-out rates that generate those table values. It applies the higher of earned income or AGI for the phase-out test, then applies a simplified eligibility screen for investment income and filing status. It does not model every IRS qualification rule or special exception.
Sources
- Revenue Procedure 2025-32, 2026 inflation-adjusted items including the EITC table (Internal Revenue Service)
- IRS news release: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments (Internal Revenue Service)
- Publication 596 (2025), Earned Income Credit (EIC) (Internal Revenue Service) — Used for general qualification rules and definitions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Earned income includes wages, salaries, tips, net self-employment income, gig economy earnings, union strike benefits, and certain disability payments. It does not include investment income, Social Security benefits, unemployment compensation, alimony, or child support.
A qualifying child must generally be your child, stepchild, adopted child, foster child, sibling, or a descendant of one of these. The child must meet relationship, age, residency, and joint-return rules under IRS guidance.
Yes. The childless credit is smaller, but it can still be valuable. Childless filers must also satisfy the IRS age, dependent, and U.S. residency rules.
For 2026: $664 (no children), $4,427 (1 child), $7,316 (2 children), and $8,231 (3 or more children). These are the maximum plateau amounts before the credit phases out.
The EITC itself is not treated as income for many benefit programs for a period after receipt, but the refund you save can still matter for asset-based tests later.
Generally no. There are limited separated-spouse exceptions, but this calculator treats MFS as generally ineligible and does not model the exceptions.
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