Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) wants to make life a little easier for workers by alerting them about a special tax credit that can put money in their pockets.

"Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax benefit for working people and their families and it allows more dollars to flow into our community,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “We want workers who may qualify for EITC to have all the information they need to get the EITC and get it right.”

Last year, the credit returned over $4.1 billion dollars to 1.8 million New Yorkers, with the average credit being $2,309. The amount of EITC varies by income, family size and your filing status. It can mean up to $496 in EITC for people without a qualifying child, and up to $6,143 for those with three or more qualifying children.

If you qualify for EITC, you must file a tax return, even if you have no tax to pay, to claim the credit. With the exception of some who receive certain disability income, you must work for someone, or run your own business or farm to qualify for EITC. Workers who made less than $52,427 should see if they qualify for EITC using the EITC Assistant tool at www.irs.gov/eitc.

Find out if you are eligible using the EITC Assistant; it’s available in both English and Spanish. The Assistant helps you:

• find your filing status
• find out if you have a qualifying child or children,
• verify if you are eligible for EITC, and
• estimate the amount of your credit.

Also, if you make less than $52,427, you qualify for free tax return preparation through volunteer sites. IRS-certified volunteers prepare your tax return and find out if you qualify for EITC and other refundable credits. Find a location for free tax return preparation near you at www.irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-Preparation-for-You-by-Volunteers