Earned Income Tax Credit

You work. Let EITC work for you!

For the last 40 years, Earned Income Tax Credit made life better for millions of workers. You may have extra money waiting for you. If you qualify and claim the credit, it could be as much as $6,242 from the IRS for some workers.

Oregon has one of the lowest rates of people claiming the EITC!  Don’t be the one in five that misses this credit. If you or someone you know earned less than $53,267 from wages, running a business or farm or from Form 1099 MISC, check it out.

It’s easy to find out if you qualify. Use the EITC Assistant, available late January, and answer questions about yourself and other family members to see if you qualify and estimate the amount of your credit.

EITC eligibility depends on several factors, including income and family size. If you don’t have a qualifying child and earned under $20,330, find out if you qualify for a smaller credit, worth as much as $503. Don’t guess about EITC eligibility use the EITC Assistant to find out if you do qualify for EITC, And, see what other tax credits are available. 

If you qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), you can also claim the Oregon Earned Income Credit (EIC). Your Oregon EIC is 8 percent of your federal EITC if you’re a full-time resident, and 8 percent of your federal EITC multiplied by your Oregon percen​tage if you’re a part-year or nonresident.

The Working Family Household and Dependent Care Credit (WFHDC)​ combines the benefits of Oregon’s Working Family Child Care Credit (WFC) and Child and Dependent Care Credit (CDC) into one comprehensive tax credit. The credit can be claimed starting with tax year 2016. The purpose of this credit is to help low- to moderate-income families pay for the care of their dependents while they’re working or looking for work.​​

According to the Oregon Department of Revenue:

• E-filing is the fastest way to get your tax refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.
• There are many free or low-cost preparation options available for both federal and Oregon tax returns. Some software companies offer free software use and e-filing for eligible taxpayers. AARP and CASH Oregon provide free and low-cost tax preparation services throughout the local communities. For more information visit www.oregon.gov/dor and search for “free tax preparation services.”
• Anyone who needs a personal income tax return booklet can order it through the Department of Revenue.  The booklet is available online at www.oregon.gov/dor/forms, or taxpayer can order a copy by calling (503) 378-4988 or (800) 356-4222, or by mailing their request-along with their name, phone number, and mailing address to: