How do I know if we can claim the earned income credit? I'm stuck on this question "Is your earned income for 2017 less than it was for 2016?"

[AnnetteB]

This question pertains to disaster relief.

If you are not sure about the amount for 2016, you can go ahead and answer “Yes”, and then see if you qualify for the exception for the disaster relief on the next screen.  If you did not qualify because your principal home was not in a disaster area, simply answer “No” at this point and continue with your return.  Your Earned Income Tax Credit will then be calculated based on your 2017 entries.

[jmfattore]

I answered Yes and my refund went down.

[AnnetteB]

You are not required to use the 2016 amount to calculate your EITC.  It is optional in case using the 2016 numbers give you a better result if you qualify to do so due to disaster relief.  Since the result was not better in your case, change your answer and let TurboTax use your 2017 income to calculate your credit.

[jmfattore]

Thanks