Credits, not deductions
Tax credit calculators
The credits that phase in and out with income, where a small change can swing hundreds or thousands, and where getting the threshold wrong costs the most. Each runs in your browser; nothing is stored.
A credit beats a deduction: it comes straight off the tax you owe, not the income you're taxed on. The catch is that most of these are income-tested, so they phase in, plateau, and phase out, and the edges are where the money is won or lost. These calculators find your credit at your income and family size.
The credits
- Earned income credit (EITC) refundable, phases in and out with income and kids
- Child tax credit $2,200 per child under 17, partly refundable
- Child & dependent care credit 20 to 35% of care costs, up to the expense cap
- Saver's credit a credit for retirement contributions at lower incomes
- ACA premium tax credit the marketplace subsidy and the 400% poverty-level cliff
Questions
What's the difference between a tax credit and a deduction?
A deduction lowers the income you're taxed on; a credit lowers the tax itself, dollar for dollar. A $1,000 credit cuts your bill by $1,000, while a $1,000 deduction saves only your marginal rate on it. Credits are worth more.
Which of these credits are refundable?
The earned income credit is fully refundable, and part of the child tax credit is. A refundable credit can pay out beyond zero tax owed; a nonrefundable one (like the saver's credit) can only reduce your tax to zero. The calculators show which applies.
Why do these credits phase in and out with income?
Most are targeted, so they grow as income rises off a low base, plateau, then taper as income climbs, and near a phase-out edge a small income change can swing the credit by hundreds or thousands. Getting the threshold right is where these tools earn their keep.
Related
Estimates for the 2026 tax year on your own numbers, computed from the site's verified figures. Nothing you enter is stored. Not tax advice.