State agencies urge workers to check if they qualify for Earned Income Tax Credit
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — As the 15th anniversary of the Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day approaches on Friday, the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Department of Revenue are encouraging all workers with income in 2020 to check their Earned Income Tax Credit eligibility.
The Earned Income Tax Credit, which may give families up to $6,660 back when they file taxes, is a federal and state tax credit for people making up to $56,844 per year. Too many Oregonians miss out because they simply don’t know about it.
Even if you aren’t required to file taxes, you could still get this tax credit by filing your taxes.
Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day is a nationwide effort to increase awareness about EITC and free tax preparation sites. There are volunteer organizations, such as Cash Oregon, that can help you file your taxes for free or at a reduced cost. Â
Basic qualifications include:
- Filing with a status other than married filing separately.
- You, your spouse, or any qualifying child must have a Social Security number.
- Your earned income in 2020 must be below certain limits based on your number of qualifying dependents.
The Department of Revenue and ODHS are working with other state agencies and community partners to encourage taxpayers to learn more about this credit and find out if they’re eligible.
Taxpayers can use the IRS EITC Assistant to check their eligibility further. The Assistant is available in English and Spanish.
CASH Oregon provides free or low-cost, in-person tax preparation services throughout Oregon. To see its locations, visit www.cashoregon.org. People can also dial 2-1-1 to find free tax return preparation sites.
For more information on the EITC, visit https://www.eitc.irs.gov/. For questions about Oregon taxes, call the Department of Revenue at 503-378-4988. For questions about ODHS, call 503-602-8027.
