VITA – Free Tax Preparation

Tax Filing Information for 2025 Returns

Each year, free tax preparation programs run by United Ways across the U.S. bring millions of dollars back to local communities, largely thanks to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).

Quick Jump Menu: 

• • Key Dates
  • EITC Awareness Day
  • Two Ways to File Your Taxes for Free
  • Earned Income and Earned Income Tax Credit Information
  • Additional Information to Help You Navigate Tax Season

Free Tax Prep Overview Flyer

Free Tax Preparation Key Dates 2026

• January 9: IRS Free File opens for qualified taxpayers
• January 23: Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day
• January 26: Filing season start date for individual tax returns
• April 15: Due date of filing a tax return or to request an extension

EITC AWARENESS DAY- JANUARY 23, 2026

Join us in making the 20th annual EITC Awareness Day as successful as last year’s. EITC Awareness Day marks the kick-off of a nationwide multilingual communication effort intended to increase awareness of EITC eligibility, encourage participation, and emphasize the filing of accurate returns. 

To support a nationwide EITC campaign, the IRS engages external partners to hold outreach events and uses social media to maximize taxpayer reach. As a result, 34,426 awareness outreaches and events were completed in 2025 to promote EITC. Additionally, partners sponsored nearly 139 EITC Awareness Day live events and other activities such as news releases, articles, and social media messages.

With your help, we want to make Awareness Day bigger this year to increase eligibility awareness of refundable credits that many missed claiming. Along with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), we want to include the Child Tax Credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit, the Credit for Other Dependents (CTC/ACTC/ODC), and the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC).

What is Awareness Day?

Community organizations, elected officials, state and local governments, schools, employers, and other interested parties, partner in a national effort to increase awareness of refundable credits by shining a large spotlight on them from various media sources. We want to generate extensive media coverage on this specific day (or days in proximity) to increase awareness among potentially eligible taxpayers at the time when most of them are filing or getting ready to file their federal income tax returns. The IRS joins partners nationwide to launch the Awareness Day outreach campaign to ensure millions of workers get the credits they earned and deserve.

This intensive media coverage helps us reach the broadest possible range of eligible taxpayers, including the underserved populations and the newly eligible taxpayers.

Why is Awareness Important?

IRS estimates four of five eligible taxpayers claim and get the EITC. Best of all, EITC combined with the CTC/ACTC/ODC is a financial boost for working people and your local economy. 

The impact of the EITC is substantial. In 2025, approximately 24 million workers and families received about $70 billion in EITC and the average EITC nationwide was $2,894. When claimed as intended, these credits can help households manage expenses such as housing, food, childcare, transportation, utilities, and education. For many households, these refunds represent the largest single financial resource they receive all year.

Two Ways to File Your Taxes for Free

1. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Free, supported tax preparation services for anyone who earns less than $69,000. Volunteer tax preparers are fully trained and IRS certified to complete and e-file your return at no charge.

Call 2-1-1 to make an appointment and find a free tax preparation site near you (dial 2-1-1 or 1-888-696-9211).

2. MyFreeTaxes.com

MyFreeTaxes® is a service offered by United Way for free tax preparation for people at all income levels who have a simple return. You can file your taxes completely online from the comfort of your home. Visit myfreetaxes.com to get started.

Earned Income and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

To claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), you must have what qualifies as earned income and meet certain adjusted gross income (AGI) limits. The amount of the credit is based on your income, filing status, and the number of qualifying children you claim, if any.

Use the EITC tables to look up the maximum credit amounts by tax year.

Use the EITC Assistant to see whether you qualify for the credit.

Earned Income

Earned income includes all the taxable income and wages received for working for someone else, yourself or from a business or farm you own.

Types of Earned Income

• Wages, salaries, or tips where federal income taxes are withheld on Form W-2, box 1
• Tip income not reported to your employer

Note: Include the full amount of tip and overtime income in the calculation of earned income when determining eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit, even if all or part is deductible.

• Household employee wages
• Medicaid waiver payments excluded from income on Schedule 1 (Form 1040)
• Income from a job where your employer didn’t withhold tax (such as gig economy work) including:
  • Driving a car for booked rides or deliveries
  • Running errands or doing tasks
  • Selling goods online
  • Renting equipment
  • Renting out property or part of it
  • Providing creative or professional services
  • Providing other temporary, on-demand or freelance work
• Money made from self-employment, including if you:
  • Own or operate a business or farm
  • Are a minister or member of a religious order
  • Are a statutory employee and have income
• Taxable benefits from a union strike
• Certain disability benefits you got before you were the minimum retirement age
• Nontaxable Combat Pay (Form W-2, box 12 with code Q)
  • If you claim nontaxable combat pay as earned income, it may increase or decrease the amount of your EITC. For more information, see Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide.

Earned income does not include:

• • Pay you got for work when you were an inmate in a penal institution
  • Interest and dividends
  • Pensions or annuities
  • Social Security benefits
  • Unemployment benefits
  • Alimony
  • Child support

EITC tables

Use these tables organized to find the maximum amount of EITC you may be eligible for based on your:

• Adjusted gross income (AGI)
• Investment income
• Filing status
• Number of qualifying children if any
• Tax year

Tax Year 2025

Find the maximum AGI, investment income and credit amounts for tax year 2025.

Investment income limit: $11,950 or less

Maximum credit amounts

The maximum amount of credit:

• No qualifying children: $649
• 1 qualifying child: $4,328
• 2 qualifying children: $7,152
• 3 or more qualifying children: $8,046