EITC Estimator
The Earned Income Tax Credit can help older workers, but with no qualifying child at home you have to be under 65 to claim it. Grandparents raising a child can claim at any age.
If you have no qualifying children living with you, you must be at least 25 and under 65 at the end of the year to claim the EITC. A 2021 rule removed the upper age limit for one year and was not made permanent. If you are raising a qualifying child, which for many older adults is a grandchild, the age limit does not apply. The credit is then worth up to $8,231 for 2026, depending on your income and the number of children.
Advice that "seniors who work part-time can get the EITC" often leaves out the age rule. Enter your details below. You will get an estimated credit, or the reason you do not qualify.
Estimate Your EITC
Estimated Credit
How this was calculated
This is an estimate using the published IRS phase-in and phase-out formula, not the official $50-bracket EIC table used to file. Use the IRS EIC table or tax software for your exact filing figure.
The age rule. With no qualifying child, federal law requires you to be at least 25 and under 65 at the end of the tax year, however low your income is. The American Rescue Plan Act removed the upper limit for 2021 only. Proposals to make that permanent have not passed.
The exception. A person of any age who is raising a qualifying child can claim the credit. For a grandparent, a grandchild generally qualifies if the child lives with you for more than half the year, is under 19 (under 24 if a full-time student, or any age if permanently disabled), and does not provide more than half of their own support. Only one person can claim a given child, so agree with the child's parent who will claim.
| Qualifying children | Maximum credit (2026) | Credit ends at income of (single or head of household) | Credit ends at income of (married filing jointly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | $664 | $19,540 | $26,820 |
| One | $4,427 | $51,593 | $58,863 |
| Two | $7,316 | $58,629 | $65,899 |
| Three or more | $8,231 | $62,974 | $70,244 |
How the credit is calculated. It rises as a percentage of earned income until it reaches the maximum, stays at the maximum over a range of income, and then falls as income rises further, reaching zero at the figures in the table. The reduction is based on your earned income or your adjusted gross income, whichever is greater.
What counts as earned income. Wages, tips and net self-employment income. Social Security, pensions and investment income are not earned income, although they are part of adjusted gross income and so can reduce the credit.
Investment income limit. You cannot claim the credit for 2026 if your interest, dividends, capital gains and similar income total more than $12,200.
It is refundable. If the credit is more than the tax you owe, you receive the difference as a refund, so file a return even if your income is below the filing requirement. Free help is available through the IRS VITA and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs and AARP Tax-Aide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can seniors get the Earned Income Tax Credit?
In some cases. With no qualifying child living with you, you must be under 65 at the end of the year to claim the EITC, however low your income is. If you are raising a qualifying child, most often a grandchild, the age limit does not apply and you can claim it at any age.
What if I have no children living with me? Can I still qualify?
Only if you are between 25 and 64 at the end of the year. A temporary rule removed the upper age limit for 2021. It was not made permanent, so the under-65 requirement applies to filers without a qualifying child.
Does Social Security income count as earned income for EITC?
No. Only wages, salaries, tips and net self-employment income count as earned income. Social Security benefits, pensions and investment income do not, although they are included in adjusted gross income, which affects the phase-out.
What counts as a qualifying child for a grandparent raising grandchildren?
Generally a grandchild who lives with you for more than half the year, is under 19 (under 24 if a full-time student, or any age if permanently disabled), and does not provide more than half of their own support. The same relationship and residency tests apply to any qualifying child.
What's the investment income limit?
For 2026, you cannot claim the EITC if your investment income (interest, dividends, capital gains and similar) is more than $12,200 for the year, however low your earned income is.
How is the EITC actually calculated?
The credit rises as a percentage of earned income up to a maximum, stays at the maximum over a range of income, then falls as income (earned income or adjusted gross income, whichever is greater) rises past a threshold, until it reaches zero. The figures differ by filing status and number of qualifying children.
This calculator gives a general estimate based on the 2026 federal EITC figures (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32). It is not a determination of eligibility. It does not model every rule, including the residency test, the valid Social Security number requirement, exceptions for married filing separately, or the full relationship test for a qualifying child. For an exact figure, use the IRS EIC table or tax preparation software when you file.