Last year I got a $2000 for earned income credit. This year I only got $356 and I’m still under the $45k with one child. I still fall in same category. I don’t undersrand

[CherylW]

If you have children, then you could be eligible for two different credits.

One is the earned income credit, which varies by the amount of money you make from your job.  See this for more details:

How do I Qualify for EIC?

The other credit is the child tax credit, which for 2017 is $1,000 per child, so you must have two children.

Sometimes the child tax credit is split and entered on two lines of your return:

Line 52 (1040), 35 (1040A) is non-refundable, which means it can only be used to reduce your tax.  Your tax liability will be zero.

Line 67 (1040), 43 (1040A) is refundable, which means you get it even if you owe no tax.

Your earned income credit is reported on line 66a (1040), 42a (1040A).

[reaperhkd]

Still doesn’t explain why under it’s say filing joint and one child with income of less than 45k gets more earned income credit. Like is I said I got almost 2k more

[reaperhkd]

Under irs*

[SweetieJean]

Look at the table in the publication cited above. That's the way Congress wrote the tax law.

[Zbucklyo]

The amount you receive from the earned income tax credit depends on your earned income. As your earned income gets closer to the maximum earnings allowed, the amount of the credit goes down until it phases out completely.  Presumably, your earned income was less last year.

[CherylW]

You can check your credit using Publication 596 (they start on page 31):

Earned Income Credit Tables

[reaperhkd]

Ok nvm I don’t think anyone understands that from last year to this year is no different so why is the Eic different. It’s ok I’ll figure it out

[erincampbell]

I received my stimulus check and I only got 500 for one child when I have two. On my taxes

[erincampbell]

Nvm it doesn’t make since maybe if I could talk to a real person I might understand. Trump bull**bleep**