Who qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit and how much can it be worth?

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable credit for low-to-moderate-income working people, worth the most to families with several qualifying children and less to workers with none. To qualify you need earned income from a job or self-employment, investment income below an IRS limit, a valid Social Security number, and income under thresholds that rise with the number of children and are higher for married couples. Because it is refundable, it can produce a sizable refund even if you owed no tax. The IRS reports that many eligible people fail to claim it, leaving real money unclaimed. Use the IRS EITC Assistant to check eligibility, and note that returns claiming it are held until mid-February by law.