Earned Income and adjusted gross income (AGI) must each be less than:

• $43,279 ($48,279 married filing jointly) with three or more qualifying children
• $40,295 ($45,295 married filing jointly) with two qualifying children
• $35,463 ($40,463 married filing jointly) with one qualifying child
• $13,440 ($18,440 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children

Tax Year 2009 maximum credit:

• $5,657 with three or more qualifying children
• $5,028 with two qualifying children
• $3,043 with one qualifying child
• $457 with no qualifying children

The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 changed the uniform definition of a child. Now, a "qualifying child" must:

• Be younger than the taxpayer claiming that child unless the child is disabled and
• Not have filed a joint return except to claim a refund

It also added a new Parent AGI rule. If the same child is a qualifying child of a parent and another relative, the person who is not the parent can claim the child only if their AGI is higher than the AGI of any parent of the child.

*The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides a temporary increase in EITC and expands the credit for workers with three or more qualifying children. These changes are temporary and apply to 2009 and 2010 tax years.

Investment income must be $3,100 or less for the year.

The maximum Advance EITC workers can receive from their employers is $1,826.