Filing tax return, seeking Earned Income Tax Credit could net $7,742 for some Oregonians

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – As Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day approaches on Friday, the Oregon Department of Revenue and the Oregon Department of Human Services are encouraging all workers with income in 2022 to check their Earned Income Tax Credit eligibility. 

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. Many Oregonians miss out because they simply don’t know about it, especially those that aren’t required to file taxes.

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a federal and state tax credit for people making less than $59,187 in 2022. Families may be eligible for a maximum refundable credit of $6,935 on their federal tax return, and a maximum Oregon Earned Income Credit of $807 on their state tax return. Certain taxpayers without children may also be eligible for these credits. 

Individuals may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, even if they are not required to file. To receive the refundable credits, however, they must file a federal and state tax return.

Basic qualifications for EITC include:

• All filing statuses are eligible, but some have specific requirements that must be met in order to qualify. 
• You, your spouse, or any qualifying child must have a Social Security number to claim the federal credit. 
• Your earned income in 2022 must be below certain limits based on your number of qualifying dependents.
• You may be eligible even if you do not have a qualifying child.

Taxpayers can use the IRS EITC Assistant to check their eligibility further. The assistant is available in English and Spanish. 

Many of the basic qualifications for the Federal EITC are the same as those for the Oregon EIC, but Oregon also allows taxpayers who use an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) to file their taxes, or have a qualifying child with an ITIN, to claim the Oregon EIC. If you have an ITIN, claim the Oregon EIC using schedule OR-EIC-ITIN.

Taxpayers can visit the Earned Income Credit page of the Revenue website for more information on the Oregon EIC, as well as more information about their eligibility

Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day is a nationwide effort to increase awareness about the Earned Income Tax Credit and free tax preparation sites. There are volunteer organizations, such as CASH Oregon and AARP, that can help you file your taxes for free or at a reduced cost. CASH Oregon provides free or low-cost, in-person and virtual tax preparation services throughout Oregon. For more information, visit www.cashoregon.org.

People can also dial 2-1-1 or visit the Oregon Department of Revenue website to find free tax return preparation sites by using our interactive map. 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.

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), we accept all relay calls.