MyFTB accountEligibility and credit information CalEITC
Check if you qualify for CalEITC
The amount of California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) you may receive depends on your income and family size. CalEITC may provide you with cash back or reduce any tax you owe.
To qualify for CalEITC you must meet all of the following requirements during the tax year:
- You’re at least 18 years old or have a qualifying child
- Have earned income of at least $1 and not more than $31,950
- Have a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for you, your spouse/RDP, and any qualifying children
- Live in California for more than half the filing year
- Not be eligible to be claimed as a qualifying child of another taxpayer
- Not be eligible to be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer unless you have a qualifying child
Married/registered domestic partner (RDP) filing separately filers must meet all of the following requirements:
- Had a qualifying child who lived with you for more than half of the tax year, and:
- You lived apart from your spouse/RDP for the last 6 months of the tax year, or
- You are legally separated by state law under a written separation agreement or a decree of separate maintenance and you did not live in the same household as your spouse/RDP at the end of the tax year
Earned income
Earned income is wages, salaries, tips, and other employee compensation that is subject to California withholding, or net income from self-employment.
What you'll get
Use our EITC calculator or review the 2024 CalEITC credit table to calculate how much you may get when you file your tax year 2024 return. These related cash-back credits include CalEITC, the state's Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) and Foster Youth Tax Credit (FYTC), and Federal EITC.
Generally, you may claim CalEITC to receive a refund for up to four prior years by filing or amending your state income tax return. Review the information from past years in the dropdowns below to estimate how much you could get.
| Number of qualifying children | CalEITC, YCTC, FYTC max income | CalEITC max credit | YCTC max credit |
FYTC max credit* |
Federal EITC max credit** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (up to) | (up to) | (up to) | (up to) | (up to) | |
| None | $31,950 | $294 | $0 | $1,154 | $632 |
| 1 | $31,950 | $1,958 | $1,154 | $1,154 | $4,213 |
| 2 | $31,950 | $3,239 | $1,154 | $1,154 | $6,960 |
| 3 or more | $31,950 | $3,644 | $1,154 | $1,154 | $7,830 |
*FYTC, unlike the other credits above, is awarded per qualifying taxpayer. The credit would be up to $2,308 if both primary taxpayer and spouse/RDP qualify.↵Return to place in table.
**For information on the maximum income allowed to qualify for the federal EITC based on filing status and number of children or relatives claimed, visit the IRS’s EITC tables webpage.↵Return to place in table.
| Number of qualifying children | CalEITC max income | CalEITC (max credit) | YCTC/FYTC max income | YCTC max credit | FYTC max credit | EITC federal max credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (up to) | (up to) | (up to) | (up to) | (up to) | (up to) | |
| None | $30,950 | $285 | $30,931 | $0 | $1,117 | $600 |
| 1 | $30,950 | $1,900 | $30,931 | $1,117 | $1,117 | $3,995 |
| 2 | $30,950 | $3,137 | $30,931 | $1,117 | $1,117 | $6,604 |
| 3 or more | $30,950 | $3,529 | $30,931 | $1,117 | $1,117 | $7,430 |
| Number of qualifying children | California maximum income | CalEITC (up to) | YCTC (up to) | FYTC (up to) | Federal EITC (up to) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | $30,000 | $275 | $0 | $1,083 | $560 |
| 1 | $30,000 | $1,843 | $1,083 | $1,083 | $3,733 |
| 2 | $30,000 | $3,037 | $1,083 | $1,083 | $6,146 |
| 3 or more | $30,000 | $3,417 | $1,083 | $1,083 | $6,935 |
| Number of qualifying children | California maximum income | CalEITC (up to) | Federal EITC (up to) |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | $30,000 | $255 | $1,502 |
| 1 | $30,000 | $1,698 | $3,618 |
| 2 | $30,000 | $2,809 | $5,980 |
| 3 or more | $30,000 | $3,160 | $6,728 |
| Number of qualifying children | California maximum income | CalEITC (up to) | Federal EITC (up to) |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | $30,000 | $243 | $538 |
| 1 | $30,000 | $1,626 | $3,584 |
| 2 | $30,000 | $2,691 | $5,920 |
| 3 or more | $30,000 | $3,027 | $6,660 |
Claim your credit
You must file your state tax return to claim CalEITC. You may use our free CalFile application to file your taxes. Also, you may receive free tax help through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Download, complete, and include with your California tax return:
Prior tax year credit forms:
Tax professionals
It is important to verify if your client qualifies. You may be subject to a $500 penalty if you do not comply with CalEITC requirements.
Complete and keep copies of the:
- FTB 3596, Paid Preparer's California Earned Income Tax Credit Checklist
- CalEITC worksheet
Federal information
In addition to CalEITC, you may qualify for the federal EITC. Visit the IRS Earned Income Tax Credit webpage for more information.