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Issuances By Year
19-01 Federal Tax Credits and No-Cost Tax Filing Assistance
WS 19-01 |
January 22, 2019 |
Basic & Expanded Services |
Expires: Continuing |
To: |
Career Offices |
From: |
Mike Temple |
Subject: |
Federal Tax Credits and No-Cost Tax Filing Assistance |
Purpose
To promote and provide updated information on federal tax credits and no-cost tax filing assistance for TANF recipients and other low-income workers.
This issuance replaces WS 18-01 Federal Tax Credits and No-Cost Tax Filing Assistance.
Background
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families.
The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a federal income tax credit for low-income working families with one or more children.
- The EITC and CTC often result in a refund to low-income households who file a return.
- To qualify for these credits, taxpayers must file a tax return, even if they did not earn enough money to be obligated to file a tax return. A qualifying taxpayer must file a return and claim applicable credits in order to receive them.
- EITC and CTC refund payments do not count as income when applying for or renewing benefits like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (food stamps), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance, or public housing.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help for low-to-moderate income households (generally, those that made $54,000 or less), persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in filing a federal tax return. VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools and shopping malls. Most locations also offer free electronic filing. A list of VITA sites is available on the IRS Website at List of VITA Sites or by calling 1-800-906-9887.
Promoting the Credits
Career office contractors and managers will make sure the staff promotes the tax credits to customers who are tagged in TANF/Choices and who are working or have worked during the past year.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has created a flyer that can be share with customers and displayed in the resource room. The flyer, in multiple languages, is available at Earned Income Tax Credit Flyer.
Action
- Make sure all offices display the EITC flyer in resource rooms.
- Make sure all office managers, supervisors, personal service representatives, employment counselors and other appropriate staff are aware of the EITC and where customers can go for free tax help.
- Make sure staff promotes the use of the tax credits, and tax filing, to individuals tagged in TANF/Choices who are working or have worked during the past year.
Questions
Staff should ask questions of their supervisors first. Direct questions for Board staff through the Submit a Question link.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) Eligibility Chart |
||||
EITC |
CTC |
|||
Income |
||||
Income Limits and EITC Amount |
||||
Children |
Single |
Married |
EITC up to: |
Must earn more than $2,500 |
None |
$15,270 |
$20,950 |
$519 |
|
1 |
$40,320 |
$46,010 |
$3,461 |
|
2 |
$45,802 |
$51,492 |
$5,716 |
|
3 or more |
$49,194 |
$54,884 |
$6,431 |
|
Investment income — $3,500 |
||||
Sources of Income |
||||
Wages, salary, tips, employer-based disability, self-employment earnings, military combat pay, union strike benefits |
||||
Taxpayer ID Number |
||||
Valid social security number that permits work in the U.S. |
Valid social security number (SSN) or Individual |
|||
Filing Status |
||||
Cannot be married filing separately |
Any |
|||
Age Requirement |
||||
Must be between 25 and 64 years of age (workers without |
Any |
|||
Child Qualifications (workers with children) |
||||
Relationship |
||||
|
||||
Residency |
||||
Must live with the worker in the U.S. for more than half |
Must live with the worker in the U.S. for more than half the year. Exception: A non-custodial parent who is permitted by a divorce or separation agreement to claim the child as a dependent. |
|||
Age of Child |
||||
Under 19, under 24 if a full-time student, or any age if totally and permanently disabled |
Under 17 |
|||
Dependency |
||||
Not required (except for a claim by a married parent who separated from his or her spouse during the first half of the year) |
Children claimed must be considered a dependent for tax filing purposes |
|||
Tax Forms |
||||
Form 1040 |
Form 1040 |