California Earned Income Tax Credit and Young Child Tax CreditCalEITC and YCTC

Overview

If you have low income and work, you may qualify for CalEITC. This credit gives you a refund or reduces your tax owed.

If you qualify for CalEITC and have a child under the age of 6, you may also qualify for the Young Child Tax Credit.

Together, these state credits can put hundreds or even thousands of dollars in your pocket.

Filing your state tax return is required to claim both of these credits.

New for tax year 2020: Eligibility extends to those with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

Find out how much you could get back

Use our EITC calculator to find out how much you can get back.

Estimate my EITC

Check if you qualify for CalEITC

You may qualify for CalEITC if:

  • You’re at least 18 years old or have a qualifying child
  • You have earned income within certain limits

The amount of CalEITC you may get depends on your income and family size.

You must:

  • Have taxable earned income
  • Have a valid social security number or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) for you, your spouse, and any qualifying children
  • Not use “married/RDP filing separate” if married
  • Live in California for more than half the year

Earned income can be from:

  • W-2 wages
  • Self-employment
  • Salaries, tips
  • Other employee wages subject to California withholding

What you'll get

Review the chart below to see how much you may get when you file your tax year 2020 return.

2020 CalEITC credit
Number of qualifying children California maximum income CalEITC (up to) IRS 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

The Young Child Tax Credit was introduced in tax year 2019. If you qualify for CalEITC and have a child under the age of 6 as of the end of the tax year, you may qualify for up to $1,000 through this credit.

You may go back up to four years to claim CalEITC by filing or amending a state income tax return. Review the charts for past years below to see how much you could get.

Number of qualifying children California maximum income CalEITC (up to) IRS EITC (up to)
None $30,000 $240 $529
1 $30,000 $1,605 $3,526
2 $30,000 $2,651 $5,828
3 or more $30,000 $2,982 $6,557
Number of qualifying children California maximum income CalEITC (up to) IRS EITC (up to)
None $16,750 $232 $519
1 $24,950 $1,554 $3,461
2 $24,950 $2,559 $5,716
3 or more $24,950 $2,879 $6,431
Number of qualifying children California maximum income CalEITC (up to) IRS EITC (up to)
None $15,008 $223 $510
1 $22,322 $1,495 $3,400
2 $22,309 $2,467 $5,616
3 or more $22,302 $2,775 $6,318
Number of qualifying children California maximum income CalEITC (up to) IRS EITC (up to)
None $6,717 $217 $506
1 $10,087 $1,452 $3,373
2 $14,161 $2,406 $5,572
3 or more $14,161 $2,706 $6,269

Claim your credit

You can file your tax return and claim CalEITC using CalFile for free.

Get free tax preparation help

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Prior year credit information

Tax professionals

Verify if your client qualifies

Complete and keep copies of the:

You may be subject to a $500 penalty if you don’t comply with CalEITC requirements.

Federal information

In addition to CalEITC, you may qualify for the federal EITC. Visit IRS Earned Income Tax Credit for more information.

For information on obtaining an ITIN and more, visit IRS ITIN.

Why you got a letter

You may have received a notice from us if:

  • We require additional documentation to process your claim
  • You didn’t qualify
  • We adjusted your claim

Follow the instructions on your notice or contact your tax preparer.