Here is a short guide on how to file taxes in California. Before filing you will need to know if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and what documents are required to file. If you qualify for the EITC, then the tax credit allows some people with a low income to claim their total earned income up to $6,318 in tax year 2018.
In order to claim this credit, an individual must have earned a "qualifying" amount of gross income during any four-taxable year period ending in 2017 or 2018. The four tax years from 2017 to 2018 are called the 'qualifying years'.
Qualifying income for the EITC is gross income (wages, tips or other compensation) minus a series of adjustments that may be made. For example, "social security and Medicare" deductions combined with federal taxes paid on wages may reduce your qualifying income by as much as 50% of your gross pay.
In order to qualify for the EITC you must have:
U.S. citizenship or
been a U.S. resident alien who has passed the green card test or
been a U.S. national and lived in the U.S. for at least half of the tax year (January through December) or
had a qualifying child who lived with you in the United States for more than half of the tax year, regardless of his/her citizenship status (children must be younger than 19 years old, or younger than 24 if full time students, or 24 if disabled).
In order to claim this credit, an individual must have earned a "qualifying" amount of gross income during any four-taxable year period ending in 2017 or 2018. The four tax years from 2017 to 2018 are called the 'qualifying years'.
Qualifying income for the EITC is gross income (wages, tips or other compensation) minus a series of adjustments that may be made. For example, "social security and Medicare" deductions combined with federal taxes paid on wages may reduce your qualifying income by as much as 50% of your gross pay.
In order to qualify for the EITC you must have:
U.S. citizenship or
been a U.S. resident alien who has passed the green card test or
been a U.S. national and lived in the U.S. for at least half of the tax year (January through December) or
had a qualifying child who lived with you in the United States for more than half of the tax year, regardless of his/her citizenship status (children must be younger than 19 years old, or younger than 24 if full time students, or 24 if disabled).
