2023 Earned Income Tax Credit
For 2023, the Earned Income Tax Credit is $3,995 (Maximum credit, one child), $6,604 (Maximum credit, two children), $7,430 (Maximum credit, three or more children) and 5 more figures below.
| Item | One child | Two children | Three or more children | Childless filers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum credit | $3,995 | $6,604 | $7,430 | $600 |
| Earned income amount | $11,750 | $16,510 | $16,510 | $7,840 |
Effective 2023-01-01Source: Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)Verified 2026-08-29
Compared with 2022
| Item | 2022 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum credit, one child | $3,733 | $3,995 | +$262 (+7.0%) |
| Maximum credit, two children | $6,164 | $6,604 | +$440 (+7.1%) |
| Maximum credit, three or more children | $6,935 | $7,430 | +$495 (+7.1%) |
| Maximum credit, childless filers | $560 | $600 | +$40 (+7.1%) |
| Earned income amount, one child | $10,980 | $11,750 | +$770 (+7.0%) |
| Earned income amount, two children | $15,410 | $16,510 | +$1,100 (+7.1%) |
| Earned income amount, three or more children | $15,410 | $16,510 | +$1,100 (+7.1%) |
| Earned income amount, childless filers | $7,320 | $7,840 | +$520 (+7.1%) |
Who it applies to
Taxpayers who work and have earned income may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit for tax year 2023. The maximum credit a taxpayer can receive depends on the number of qualifying children they claim.
What changed this year, and why
The IRS published the 2023 inflation-adjusted amounts for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) under Revenue Procedure 2022-38, covering maximum credit values for each category of qualifying children.
Common questions
- What are the maximum EITC amounts for 2023?
- For tax year 2023, the maximum Earned Income Tax Credit is $3,995 for filers with one qualifying child, $6,604 for filers with two qualifying children, $7,430 for filers with three or more qualifying children, and $600 for filers with no qualifying children.
- Do these amounts apply to all filing statuses?
- Yes, these maximum credit amounts apply regardless of filing status. However, the income thresholds at which the credit begins to phase out and the income level at which it phases out completely differ by filing status and number of qualifying children.
The income at which the credit stops growing
The "earned income amount" is the amount of earned income at or above which the maximum amount of the earned income credit is allowed. This means that once a taxpayer's earned income reaches this level, the credit has grown to its full size and will not increase further with additional earned income. For 2023, the earned income amount is $11,750 for taxpayers with one qualifying child, $16,510 for those with two qualifying children, $16,510 for those with three or more qualifying children, and $7,840 for childless filers. Below these levels, the credit rises as earned income rises; at or above these levels, the credit equals the maximum. The maximum credit at this point is $3,995 for one child, $6,604 for two children, $7,430 for three or more children, and $600 for filers with no qualifying children. The earned income amount is the first of three key income thresholds that determine a taxpayer's credit.
The “earned income amount” is the amount of earned income at or above which the maximum amount of the earned income credit is allowed.
Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)
Where the credit starts shrinking, and which income counts
The "threshold phaseout amount" is the amount of adjusted gross income (or, if greater, earned income) above which the maximum amount of the credit begins to phase out. This figure marks the upper boundary of the plateau where the credit remains at its maximum level. For 2023, a taxpayer with one qualifying child can have earned income up to $11,750 before the credit stops growing, reaching a maximum of $3,995. The credit stays at that maximum until income exceeds the threshold phaseout amount, at which point it begins to decline. The same structure applies to the other categories: the maximum credit is $6,604 for two children (earned income amount $16,510), $7,430 for three or more children (earned income amount $16,510), and $600 for childless filers (earned income amount $7,840). Above the threshold phaseout amount, the credit shrinks gradually until it reaches zero at the completed phaseout amount.
The “threshold phaseout amount” is the amount of adjusted gross income (or, if greater, earned income) above which the maximum amount of the credit begins to phase out.
Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)
The income at which the credit reaches zero
The "completed phaseout amount" is the amount of adjusted gross income (or, if greater, earned income) at or above which no credit is allowed. This is the income level at which the earned income tax credit has been fully phased out to zero. For taxpayers whose income exceeds the threshold phaseout amount, the credit declines steadily until it disappears entirely at the completed phaseout amount. For 2023, the maximum credits available are $3,995 for one qualifying child, $6,604 for two qualifying children, $7,430 for three or more qualifying children, and $600 for childless filers. The earned income amounts at which those maximums are reached are $11,750, $16,510, $16,510, and $7,840 respectively. Once income rises past the threshold phaseout amount and eventually reaches the completed phaseout amount, the taxpayer no longer qualifies for any credit at all. This three-tier structure - earned income amount, threshold phaseout amount, and completed phaseout amount - governs the entire credit calculation.
The “completed phaseout amount” is the amount of adjusted gross income (or, if greater, earned income) at or above which no credit is allowed.
Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)
Married filing jointly gets a higher phaseout range
The threshold phaseout amounts and the completed phaseout amounts shown in the table below for married taxpayers filing a joint return include the increase provided in § 32(b)(2)(B), as adjusted for inflation for taxable years beginning in 2023. This means that married couples who file a joint return receive higher phaseout ranges than single taxpayers, head of household filers, or surviving spouses. The credit's overall structure remains the same: the credit grows with earned income up to the earned income amount, stays at the maximum, and then phases out. For 2023, the maximum credit is $3,995 for one child (earned income amount $11,750), $6,604 for two children ($16,510), $7,430 for three or more children ($16,510), and $600 for childless filers ($7,840). Married couples filing jointly simply have more room before the credit begins to shrink and before it reaches zero, giving them a wider income band in which to claim the full credit.
The threshold phaseout amounts and the completed phaseout amounts shown in the table below for married taxpayers filing a joint return include the increase provided in § 32(b)(2)(B), as adjusted for inflation for taxable years beginning in 2023.
Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)
Too much investment income disqualifies you outright
For taxable years beginning in 2023, the earned income tax credit is not allowed under § 32(i) if the aggregate amount of certain investment income exceeds $11,000. This is a bright-line disqualification: regardless of how low a taxpayer's earned income may be, if their investment income from sources such as interest, dividends, capital gains, and other passive returns exceeds $11,000, they are ineligible for any earned income credit at all. The credit's normal structure - with its earned income amount of $7,840 for childless filers rising to $11,750 for one child and $16,510 for two or more children - does not matter if the investment income test is not met. Even a taxpayer who would otherwise qualify for the full maximum credit of $600, $3,995, $6,604, or $7,430 will receive nothing. This rule prevents higher-wealth individuals from claiming a credit designed for working taxpayers with modest incomes.
For taxable years beginning in 2023, the earned income tax credit is not allowed under § 32(i) if the aggregate amount of certain investment income exceeds $11,000.
Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)
Why your credit is read off a table, not multiplied out
The instructions for the Form 1040 series provide tables showing the amount of the earned income credit for each type of taxpayer. Rather than requiring taxpayers to multiply their income by a statutory percentage, the IRS publishes lookup tables that spell out the exact credit for every level of income and family situation. For 2023, the maximum credits are $3,995 for one qualifying child, $6,604 for two qualifying children, $7,430 for three or more qualifying children, and $600 for filers with no qualifying children. These maximums are reached once earned income hits the earned income amount - $11,750, $16,510, $16,510, and $7,840 respectively - and the tables show how the credit phases in before those levels and phases out after them. A taxpayer simply finds the row matching their income and the column matching their filing status and number of children, then reads the credit directly. This eliminates the need for manual computation.
The instructions for the Form 1040 series provide tables showing the amount of the earned income credit for each type of taxpayer.
Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Rev. Proc. 2022-38 (IRS)
- Maximum credit, one child
Maximum Amount of Credit $3,995
- Maximum credit, two children
Maximum Amount of Credit $3,995 $6,604
- Maximum credit, three or more children
Maximum Amount of Credit $3,995 $6,604 $7,430
- Maximum credit, childless filers
Maximum Amount of Credit $3,995 $6,604 $7,430 $600
- Earned income amount, one child
Earned Income Amount $11,750
- Earned income amount, two children
Earned Income Amount $11,750 $16,510
- Earned income amount, three or more children
Earned Income Amount $11,750 $16,510 $16,510
- Earned income amount, childless filers
Earned Income Amount $11,750 $16,510 $16,510 $7,840