ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Earned income tax credit

The Earned Income Tax Credit is like a special money present that the government gives to some people who work for a living. If you work and earn a small or medium amount of money every year, you might get some extra money back from the government as a gift at tax time! Cool, huh?

This gift is given by the government as a way to help workers with low to moderate income support themselves and their families. It is like when your grandparents give you an extra dollar for being a good kid and doing your chores, except it's the government giving you money for working hard!

The amount of money you get depends on how much you earn and how many children you have. If you have more children, you might get more money. Also, the amount of money you can get changes every year, but it's usually between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.

Not everyone can get this special money gift, though. You have to be a worker, meaning you have to have a job and earn money from it. Also, your income and family situation have to meet certain requirements.

So, to sum it up: The Earned Income Tax Credit is like a special gift the government gives to some working people who earn a small or moderate amount of money, to help them support their families. You can't get it unless you work and meet certain requirements, but it's a nice gift to get at tax time!