2024 Earned Income Tax Credit
For 2024, the Earned Income Tax Credit is $4,213 (Maximum credit, one child), $6,960 (Maximum credit, two children), $7,830 (Maximum credit, three or more children) and 5 more figures below.
| Item | One child | Two children | Three or more children | Childless filers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum credit | $4,213 | $6,960 | $7,830 | $632 |
| Earned income amount | $12,390 | $17,400 | $17,400 | $8,260 |
Effective 2024-01-01Source: Rev. Proc. 2023-34 (IRS)Verified 2026-08-29
Compared with 2023
| Item | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum credit, one child | $3,995 | $4,213 | +$218 (+5.5%) |
| Maximum credit, two children | $6,604 | $6,960 | +$356 (+5.4%) |
| Maximum credit, three or more children | $7,430 | $7,830 | +$400 (+5.4%) |
| Maximum credit, childless filers | $600 | $632 | +$32 (+5.3%) |
| Earned income amount, one child | $11,750 | $12,390 | +$640 (+5.4%) |
| Earned income amount, two children | $16,510 | $17,400 | +$890 (+5.4%) |
| Earned income amount, three or more children | $16,510 | $17,400 | +$890 (+5.4%) |
| Earned income amount, childless filers | $7,840 | $8,260 | +$420 (+5.4%) |
Who it applies to
Taxpayers who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit under IRC Section 32 for taxable years beginning in 2024.
What changed this year, and why
For tax year 2024, the IRS published the maximum Earned Income Tax Credit amounts based on the number of qualifying children.
Common questions
- What is the maximum EITC for 2024?
- The maximum credit depends on the number of qualifying children: $4,213 for one child, $6,960 for two children, $7,830 for three or more children, and $632 for filers with no qualifying children.
- Does the filing status affect the maximum credit amount?
- No. The maximum credit amounts are the same regardless of filing status. However, filing status does affect the income thresholds at which the credit begins to phase out and the amount of income at which the credit is fully phased out.
Every amount on this page is a published figure rather than yours. The Earned income left to the full credit takes the number you enter and works it out against them, showing which published figure it used.
The income at which the credit stops growing
For each family size there is a specific earned income level - called the "earned income amount" - at which the taxpayer's credit stops growing and reaches its maximum. Below that level the credit increases as earned income rises; once earned income hits or exceeds the earned income amount, the credit is capped. For 2024 the earned income amounts are: $12,390 for one qualifying child, $17,400 for two qualifying children, $17,400 for three or more qualifying children, and $8,260 for filers with no qualifying children. A taxpayer who has not yet reached the earned income amount may still qualify for a partial credit, but the credit cannot grow any larger beyond that point. The maximum credit that the earned income amount unlocks is $4,213 with one child, $6,960 with two children, $7,830 with three or more children, and $632 for childless filers. The amount of earned income is measured separately from adjusted gross income, so it includes only compensation such as wages, salaries, tips, and net earnings from self-employment - not interest, dividends, or other passive income.
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. 2023-34 (IRS)
Where the credit starts shrinking, and which income counts
The threshold phaseout amount is the income level above which the EITC begins to shrink rather than staying at its maximum. For each family size the credit peaks at the earned income amount, and then - once income surpasses the threshold phaseout amount - the credit is reduced dollar for dollar at a statutory phaseout rate until it reaches zero. The threshold is measured against the greater of adjusted gross income or earned income, so even if a taxpayer's AGI is modest, high earned income by itself can push them past the threshold and into the phaseout range. For married couples filing jointly the threshold is set higher than for other filing statuses, giving joint filers a wider band of income before the reduction begins. The threshold phaseout amount is distinct from both the earned income amount (where the credit stops growing) and the completed phaseout amount (where the credit disappears entirely); it marks the start of the gradual reduction in between.
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. 2023-34 (IRS)
The income at which the credit reaches zero
The completed phaseout amount is the income level at which the EITC has been reduced to zero and no credit is available. Like the threshold phaseout amount, it is based on the greater of adjusted gross income or earned income, so both measures are checked and the higher one controls. Once a taxpayer's income reaches or exceeds this amount, the credit is fully phased out regardless of the number of qualifying children. For married couples filing jointly the completed phaseout amount is higher than for all other filing statuses, reflecting the wider phaseout range Congress allows joint returns. The completed phaseout amount sits above the threshold phaseout amount: between the two, the credit is being gradually reduced; at or above the completed phaseout amount, the credit is gone entirely. A taxpayer whose income falls at or above this figure cannot claim any EITC for the year.
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. 2023-34 (IRS)
Married filing jointly gets a higher phaseout range
Taxpayers who are married and file a joint return receive a higher threshold phaseout amount and a higher completed phaseout amount than those using other filing statuses. The document states that the joint-return figures include a built-in increase - provided by the Internal Revenue Code and adjusted for inflation each year - so that married couples filing together can earn more before the credit starts to shrink and before it disappears entirely. The non-joint thresholds, by contrast, also apply to married taxpayers who are legally separated and meet the special rules for separated spouses, but they do not include the joint-return increase. In practice this means a married couple filing jointly keeps a larger portion of the credit at moderate income levels than two single filers with the same number of children would retain individually.
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 2024.
Rev. Proc. 2023-34 (IRS)
Too much investment income disqualifies you outright
A taxpayer is disqualified from the EITC entirely if their investment income is too high, regardless of how much earned income they have. For 2024, the credit is not allowed if the aggregate amount of certain investment income - such as interest, dividends, capital gains, and other passive income - exceeds $11,600. This is an all-or-nothing disqualifier: even a dollar over the limit eliminates the credit. The investment income test applies independently of the earned income and phaseout limits; a taxpayer must meet both the income requirements and stay below the investment income cap to claim any EITC.
For taxable years beginning in 2024, the earned income tax credit is not allowed under § 32(i) if the aggregate amount of certain investment income exceeds $11,600.
Rev. Proc. 2023-34 (IRS)
Why your credit is read off a table, not multiplied out
Rather than calculating the EITC by multiplying income by a phase-in or phaseout rate, the IRS uses pre-computed tables that show the exact credit amount for each income level and taxpayer category. This is because the credit formula involves rounding to the nearest whole dollar and depends on the number of qualifying children and filing status, making a simple formula impractical for taxpayers and software alike. The Form 1040 instructions include these tables so that taxpayers can look up their credit directly based on their income and family situation, without having to perform the underlying arithmetic themselves.
The instructions for the Form 1040 series provide tables showing the amount of the earned income credit for each type of taxpayer.
Rev. Proc. 2023-34 (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. 2023-34 (IRS)
- Maximum credit, one child
Number of Qualifying Children Item One Two Three or More None Earned Income Amount $12,390 $17,400 $17,400 $8,260 Maximum Amount of Credit $4,213 $6,960 $7,830 $632
- Maximum credit, two children
Number of Qualifying Children Item One Two Three or More None Earned Income Amount $12,390 $17,400 $17,400 $8,260 Maximum Amount of Credit $4,213 $6,960 $7,830 $632
- Maximum credit, three or more children
Number of Qualifying Children Item One Two Three or More None Earned Income Amount $12,390 $17,400 $17,400 $8,260 Maximum Amount of Credit $4,213 $6,960 $7,830 $632
- Maximum credit, childless filers
Number of Qualifying Children Item One Two Three or More None Earned Income Amount $12,390 $17,400 $17,400 $8,260 Maximum Amount of Credit $4,213 $6,960 $7,830 $632
- Earned income amount, one child
Earned Income Amount $12,390
- Earned income amount, two children
Earned Income Amount $12,390 $17,400
- Earned income amount, three or more children
Earned Income Amount $12,390 $17,400 $17,400
- Earned income amount, childless filers
Earned Income Amount $12,390 $17,400 $17,400 $8,260