What is this?? All I know is that we don't qualify for it. I have read up on it, and still don't fully understand what it even is.

Can someone put it to me in simple terms?

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

The IRS Web site isn't very helpful, but wikipedia seems pretty good, depending on how much you trust info on wikipedia.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

It is a credit for working people who don't have enough income. It depends on your income and how many children you have. You DON'T have to have a child, though, to qualify. The lower your income and the more children you have, usually the larger the credit. If say you get a $100 refund and then the credit is $500, you get $600 back. This is the first year we ever qualified for this as my husband had to retire for health reasons. We do not have any children at home. We got $161 from that. It is a big help as he won't get social security till next year. I always do our own taxes by using the free efile software that is on the irs site. Hope that helps!

In other words you can work only part of the year, pay nothing in to taxes but because you have so many children you get a huge refund. This is one of my beefs. My neighbor does this. She has three kids he has three kids. He works and claims his three and she works just enough to claim her three. They get thousands of dollars back.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

Yes, that is about the size of it. It irks me too! I do though, also know of single mothers that work a full time job and still make minimum, so in that case it is a help for them. Like people on here say, it all boils down to education for getting a better paying job.

Yes I agree Robin. I don't mean to sound so mean or mad about all this. Most programs have benefits that do contribute to society. I'm just sick and tired of doing everything the way it's supposed to be done and looking around seeing people who do nothing to help themselves live better, dress better, go out more, etc than I or my working friends do.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I understand about EITC not being 'fair' per se but I don't have a lot of anger towards low income people in low paying jobs getting a thousand bucks back, or whatever...what about GE, what about Exxon paying zero federal taxes, Chevron, Citigroup, what about Carnival Cruise Lines and Goldman Sachs paying about 1 percent of their income in taxes although they earned billions in profits. And Goldman, Citigroup, others also got a huge bailout! What about the tax situation for those companies... as far as individuals, what about people like the owners of the (Lakers? some team..) the McCourts, who use tax shelters and such to avoid paying any taxes on their millions and billions for at least five years. I'm much more put off by those situations than the McDonald's or WM employee with three kids who made near poverty level wages kwim.

Yes, I agree completely with the last two posts, but I don't think anything will ever be done about either one. I too, see people with the designer jeans and the best cell phones, while I use a tracfone, and shop Goodwill,etc. I know alot of these people and know they are on welfare, and have kids and are not married. Some of the boyfriends are also rumored to be selling drugs, so maybe that is where some of the money comes from too!. When I get one of my blue days about them and the big companies greed, I try to think that at least I know I am living right and can sleep at night.