Get what you’re owed before April 15
“[The] EITC is the most important part in my family life at the end of the year to make ends meet as a single parent,” Helen, in Windham County, told us.
If you, like Helen, want the money the government owes you from the Earned Income Tax Credit, you have to claim it.
If you’re eligible, you might qualify for up to $8,000 if you have children, and about $649 if you’re single with no dependents, according to the IRS. According to the IRS, the average Connecticut EITC filer got back $2,482 in the 2024 tax season.
That’s money you can use to catch up on debt, pay rent, buy groceries, and save for the future.
“Why” you have to claim it is a question for the IRS. But we’ve partnered with FreeTaxUSA, an IRS-certified service, so you can file for free to get what you’re owed.
Already filed? You can check to see if you’ve claimed your EITC by looking at Form 1040 (the first page of your return). If you’ve claimed it, then the amount will be listed under the “payment” category on the “Earned Income Tax Credit” line. If you’ve already filed and didn’t claim the EITC, you can amend your past returns.
Don’t leave money that you can use to get caught up or get ahead on the table. We’ve heard from people who plan to use their refund to:
- Pay off bills
- Get caught up on rent
- Buy clothes for their children
- Go on vacation
- Move into a new place to live
- Do home repairs
“Times have been really hard with bills lately, so I [will] use it to catch up on bills and also help my son with funding for school and medical expenses,” Shawnta, in Waterbury, told us. “It would mean everything to me to be able to get ahead and stop the constant stress of living paycheck-to-paycheck.”
Get started for free online today to claim your refund by April 15.
