Why is my EIC nearly $1000 less this year (2022), compared to last year (2021)?

[grimwolf-7]

Last year I made $13,500 with $12,800 in deductions, and my EIC was around $1,200.
This year I made $14,000 with $13,300 in deductions, and my EIC was only around $200.
The gap in amount earned/deducted was tiny, so why did I get $1000 less from my EIC?

[xmasbaby0]

 Earned Income Credit—-the rules are back to the “old” rules—

Those under 25 and over 65 without children are not eligible as they were uniquely in 2021.   And you cannot use your income from any earlier tax year to get the EIC for a 2022 return.  There is no “lookback” for 2022.  EIC for 2022 will be based on the income you earned by working in 2022.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899157-what-are-the-qualifications-for-the-earned-income-credit-e...

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant

Look at your 2022 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received

PREVIEW 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901539-how-do-i-preview-my-turbotax-online-return-before-filing

Child Tax Credit line 19

Credit for Other Dependents line 19

Earned Income Credit line 27

Additional Child Tax Credit line 28

[grimwolf-7]

I should mention as well then that it was similar in 2020 to what it is now in 2022 (~$200-300), so it wasn't a "look back" to the amount earned the prior year. I was over 25 for all 3 years, and I've had 0 dependents/children for all 3 years.

[xmasbaby0]

@grimwolf-7 Not sure what you think you received for EIC last year.....but if you were single with no dependents it is impossible that you received more than $1000 for earned income credit.   You may have received a tax refund, but the EIC tables do not give you that much for EIC if you have no dependent children.   Look more carefully at your past Form 1040's and look at the lines for EIC

2021 line 27a

2020  line 27

2019  line 18a

And.....use the IRS EIC tool to see how much your EIC for 2022 should be.  The link was provided in the earlier reply you received.

[Critter-3 · Accepted solution]

Last year (and for one year only) the EIC tables were much larger than normal ... and now we are back to the old normal.   Note the max for single no kids on the charts here ...

max for 2020   $538

max for 2021   $1502

max for 2022   $560 

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/earned-income-and-earned...