To qualify you must meet all of the following requirements:
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| Have earned income |
| Have valid Social Security number |
| Investment income limited to $2,800 |
| Filing status cannot be â??married filing separatelyâ? |
| Generally must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien all year |
| Cannot be a qualifying child of another person |
| Cannot file Form 2555 or 2555-EZ (related to foreign income)
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You need to have worked and have earned income less than:
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| $12,590 ($14,590 if married filing jointly) if there is no qualifying child |
| $33,241 ($35,241 if married filing jointly) if there is one qualifying child |
| $37,783 ($39,783 if married filing jointly) if there is more than one qualifying child
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Common errors to avoid:
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| Taxpayers claim a child who is not a qualifying child |
| Married taxpayers who should file as married filing separately instead file as single or head of household |
| Income-reporting errors |
| Taxpayers or qualifying children with incorrect Social Security numbers |