Paul Herd | Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC also called as EIC is an important benefit for working people who have low to moderate income. The EIC is a refundable credit, enacted as a work incentive in the Tax Reduction Act of 1975. It provides a financial boost to working individuals and families. It has become one of the primary forms of public assistance for low income working taxpayers. A tax credit means more money in your pocket. It reduces the amount of tax you owe and may also give you a refund. Eligibility for the EIC is based on the taxpayer’s earned income, adjusted gross income, investment income, filing status, and work status in the United States. The amount of the EIC is based on the presence and number of qualifying children in the worker’s family, as well as on adjusted gross income and earned income.
Paul Herd The earned income credit generally equals a specified percentage of earned income up to a maximum dollar amount. Earned income is defined as wages, salaries, tips and other employee compensation, but only if such amounts are includible in gross income, plus the amount of the individual’s net self-employment earnings. The maximum amount applied over a certain income range and them diminishes to zero over a specified phase-out range. For taxpayers with earned income (or adjusted gross income(“AGI”), if greater) in excess of the beginning of the phase-out range, he maximum EIC amount is reduced by the phase-out rate multiplied by the amount of earned income(or AIG, if greater) in excess of the beginning of the phase-out range. For taxpayers with earned income (or AGI, if greater) in excess of the end of the phase-out range, no credit is allowed.
An individual is not eligible for the EIC if the aggregate amount of disqualified income of the taxpayer for the taxable year excess $3450 (for 2017). This threshold is indexed for inflation. Disqualified income is the sum of interest (taxable and tax-exempt), dividends, net rent and royalty income (if greater than zero), capital gains net income and net passive income (if greater than zero) that is not self-employment income.
Paul Herd The EIC is a refundable credit, meaning that if the amount of the credit exceeds the taxpayer’s Federal income tax liability, the excess is payable to the taxpayer as a direct transfer payment.
Paul Herd The EIC generally equals a specified percentage of earned income up to a maximum dollar amount. Earned income is the sum of employee compensation included in gross income (generally the amount reported in Box 1 of Form W2, Wage and Tax Statement) plus net earnings from self-employment determined with regard to the deduction for one half of self-employment taxes. Special rules apply to computing earned income for purposes of the EIC. Net earnings from self-employment generally includes the gross income derived by an individual from any trade or business carried on by the individual, less the deductions attributable to the trade or business that are allowed under the self-employment tax rules, plus the individual’s distributive share of income or loss from any trade or business of a partnership in which the individual is a partner.
When to expect EIC Refunds in 2018
Paul Herd | Due to changes in the law, the IRS cannot issue refunds before February 15, 2018, for returns that claim the EIC. This applied to the entire refund, not just the portion associated with the EIC.
Paul Herd | The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH) made several changes for claiming this credit. The PATH Act made the following changes, which became effective for the 2016 filing season, to help prevent revenue loss due to identity theft and refund fraud related to fabricated wages and withholdings:
- The IRS may not issue a credit or refund to a taxpayer before February 15th, if the taxpayer claims the Earned Income Tax Credit on their return.
- This change only affects returns claiming EITC that are filed before February 15.
- The IRS will hold the entire refund, including any part of the refund that isn’t associated with the EITC.
- The PATH Act prevents taxpayer from filing retroactive returns or amended returns claiming EITC
Maximum Adjusted Gross Income for EIC
The maximum amount of income you can earn and still get the credit has been increased for 2017 tax year. In order to receive EIC your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) should be less than the limit listed below:-
· You have three or more qualifying children and you earned less than $48340 ($53930 if married filing jointly),
· You have two qualifying children and you earned less than $45007 ($50597 if married filing jointly),
· You have one qualifying child and you earned less than $39617 ($45207 if married filing jointly), or
· You don’t have a qualifying child and you earned less than $15010 ($20600 if married filing jointly).
The IRS considers disability retirement benefits as earned income until you reach minimum retirement age. Minimum retirement age is the earliest age you could have received a pension or annuity if you did not have the disability. After you reach minimum retirement age, IRS considers the payments your pension and not earned income. Benefits such as Social Security Disability Insurance, SSI, or military disability pensions are not considered earned income and cannot be used to claim the EITC. You may qualify for the credit only if you, or your spouse, if filing a joint return, have other earned income. Payments one receives from a disability insurance policy that one paid the premiums for are not earned income. It does not matter whether you have reached minimum retirement age.
The Maximum amount of credit for Tax year 2017 is:
$6318 with three or more qualifying children
$5615 with two qualifying children
$3400 with one qualifying children
$510 with no qualifying children.
EITC Rules
The EITC is a complex law that involves eligibility rules based on a taxpayer’s income, marital status and parental arrangements, which can often change on a year-to-year basis. To claim EITC on your tax return, one must meet all the following rule:-
· You, your spouse (if you file a joint return), and all others listed on Schedule EIC, must have a Social Security number that is valid for employment and is issued before the due date of the return including extensions. You cannot get EIC if, instead of an SSN your (or your spouse, if filing a joint return) have an individual tax identification number (ITIN). ITINs are issued by the IRS to non-citizens who can’t get an SSN.
If an SSN for you or your spouse is missing from your tax return or is incorrect, you may not get the EIC. If an SSN for you or your spouse is missing from your return because either you or your spouse didn’t have a valid SSN by the due date of your 2017 return (including extensions), and you later get a valid SSN, you can’t file an amended return to claim the EIC.
If you don’t have an SSN, you can apply for one by filing Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, with the SSA. You can get Form SS-5 online at SSA.gov or from your local SSA office or by calling the SSA at 1–800–772–1213
· You must have earned income from working for someone else or owning or running a farm or business. Earned income includes wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable employee pay. Employee pay is earned income only if it is taxable. Nontaxable employee pay, such as certain dependent care benefits and adoption benefits, isn’t earned income.
· Paul Herd | Your filing status cannot be married filing separately. If you are married, you usually must file a joint return to claim the EIC. If you are married and your spouse didn’t live in your home at any time during the last six months of the year, you may be able to file as head of household, instead of married filing separately. In that case, you may be able to claim the EIC.
· You must be a US Citizen or resident alien all year. You are taxed on your worldwide income.
· You cannot be a qualifying child of another person.
· You must meet the earned income, AGI and investment income limits.
