Cernarus

Income Tax Calculator

This EITC estimator produces an approximate federal Earned Income Tax Credit based on earned income, adjusted gross income, filing status, number of qualifying children, and taxable investment income. Use it for planning; it is not a substitute for official IRS calculations or professional tax advice.

Estimates are produced using simplified piecewise calculations (phase-in, plateau at maximum, phase-out). Values and thresholds are inflation-adjusted by tax year; this tool uses conservative, representative values for quick estimates and flags limits such as the investment income cap.

Updated Nov 6, 2025

Estimate for filers with one qualifying child.

Inputs

Results

Updates as you type

Estimated EITC

$4,020.00

Preliminary credit (before phase-out)

$4,020.00

Amount subject to phase-out

$0.00

OutputValueUnit
Estimated EITC$4,020.00USD
Preliminary credit (before phase-out)$4,020.00USD
Amount subject to phase-out$0.00USD
Primary result$4,020.00

Visualization

Methodology

The estimator follows the standard EITC computation flow: compute a phase-in amount (rate × earned income), cap that amount at the statutory maximum for the filing profile, then reduce the result by a phase-out amount when income exceeds the phase-out threshold.

Key inputs: earned income (wages, self-employment net income), adjusted gross income (AGI), filing status, count of qualifying children, and taxable investment income. If investment income exceeds the statutory limit, the credit is disallowed.

This implementation uses per-profile constants (phase-in rate, maximum credit, phase-out thresholds, and phase-out rates). These constants are estimates for quick calculations; for tax filing use the official IRS tables or the IRS EITC Assistant.

Key takeaways

This estimator implements a standard phase-in → maximum → phase-out model to provide quick, transparent EITC estimates.

Use the IRS EITC Assistant or a qualified tax preparer for filing-year exact calculations and to confirm eligibility for complex situations.

Further resources

Expert Q&A

Is this an exact calculation of the EITC I will receive?

No. This estimator provides an approximate value using representative rates and thresholds for quick planning. Official EITC amounts depend on the exact statutory tables and special rules for qualifying child definitions, shared custody, foreign income, and other adjustments. Use the IRS EITC Assistant or consult a tax professional for exact amounts.

What happens if my investment income is above the limit?

If your taxable investment income exceeds the statutory limit for the tax year, you generally are not eligible for the EITC. This estimator checks an investment income limit (representative value) and returns zero when that limit is exceeded. Confirm the current limit on the official IRS site.

How often are the tables and thresholds updated?

EITC tables and thresholds are typically adjusted annually for inflation and can change due to legislation. This estimator uses representative, year-linked values; always confirm with the IRS for filing-year specifics.

Why does the calculator use both earned income and AGI?

For phase-out purposes the EITC uses the greater of earned income or adjusted gross income as the base to determine whether the taxpayer enters the phase-out range. The estimator uses that rule when computing the amount subject to phase-out.

Are filing status and qualifying children the only determinants?

They are among the primary determinants for the credit amount. However, detailed eligibility requires meeting relationship, residency, and age tests for qualifying children and other rules that may affect the final credit.

Sources & citations