WHO’S ELIGIBLE?
The EITC is for low-income workers and their families. Low-income workers without children may also be eligible, depending on how much money was earned that tax year. The amount of EITC received depends on a few factors, like income, number of children in the family, and marital status.1
Consider the people in your life who would benefit from the EITC:
A minimum wage employee who’s struggling even though he works full time.
A single mom cobbling together multiple jobs to feed her kids.
That friend who lost a job unexpectedly and works for a ride-sharing company to get by.
A senior who can’t afford to fully retire and works to make ends meet.
The people who earn the EITC work hard yet don’t make enough to afford their basic needs
The people who earn the EITC are fellow Californians who work in areas like health care, education, food services, agriculture, housekeeping and landscaping. They’re our neighbors who get us home safely when we call a ride-sharing company and help care for aging family members. They’re the Californians who often work the hardest yet are struggling to pay for the basic needs of life.
California has recently expanded the state EITC, which will benefit working families in three major ways:
- California raised the necessary income level to qualify for EITC assistance. That means that even more working families will receive this important tax credit.
- Self-reported and freelance income is now included in the EITC calculation, which will benefit all of those working in the gig economy.
- Workers from age 18-24 and over the age of 65 are now eligible.
In 2018, we helped 1.4 million low-income Californians receive nearly $400 million in tax credits to help them afford their basic needs. Those numbers are expected to increase significantly this year as eligibility continues to expand.