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This! (And it always gave me a little chuckle when they, almost 100% of the time, called it the "unearned" income credit.)

Four days after signatures, he gave me a debit card number. Returns were submitted and accepted, and his copies mailed to him (first class, not Priority). I'm done with him, and it was technically only a day later than we are "supposed" to wait. But it also took him three different promised times to call me to pay before he came through. At some point in the next few weeks I'll make sure he knows that was a last-time courtesy for his mom's sake, and that I have no unaffiliated individual clients that I work with under the age of 80. (That last is true; sold off the bulk of my practice some years ago. Kept the elderlies 'cuz change is too hard for them plus - let's face it - they're not long-term clients. Also kept family and a few friends and charity cases that I do for a song. Anyone who wanders in new gets referred out to the guys who bought me out. He is not his mom, and he's under 80, so he's also history. Better ask the guys if they want him, or not...)

The 65 restriction does NOT apply if there are qualifying children.

I think this is especially unfair when one considers how many grandparents or foster parents are 65+, still working and having all the same responsibilities and more of many younger people. It is income restricted so only low income people qualify anyway. And people in increasing numbers, I believe, must continue to work instead of retiring. If having worked in low wage jobs, often without retirement plans, they could use a little boost, in my opinion.

I suspected this was going to be a one trick pony. What about all that age discrimination you once heard about ? It seems to me patently unfair that a 25 year old qualifies but a 65 year old does not.

This is going to really hurt because so many adults are working beyond age 65 at least at part-time jobs. So, now we just get to unlearn a whole new set of rules.

Copied from IRS Tax Topic 601: "Have a qualifying child who meets the age, relationship, residency, and joint return tests, and isn't treated as the qualifying child of another person. Or, if you don't have a qualifying child, you must: be age 25 but under 65 at the end of the year. However, for 2021, there is no maximum age limit for eligible workers. In addition, for 2021, the minimum age limit is 24 years of age for a full-time student, 18 years of age for a qualified former foster youth or a qualified homeless youth, or 19 years of age for all others; not qualify as a dependent of another person; and live in the United States for more than half of the year."

Earned income tax credit for 2021 Dependents 0 Maximum AGI (single or head of household) $21,430 Maximum AGI (married filing jointly) $27,380 Maximum EITC $1,502 Big Reduction for filers with no dependents Earned income tax credit for 2022 Dependents 0 Maximum AGI (single or head of household) $16,480 Maximum AGI (Married filing jointly) $22,610 Maximum EITC $560

Unfortunately our elected representatives put off dealing with extenders until very late in the year or even worse early next year.

I had several clients who benefited; especially self-employed. I have a feeling that may be gone this year.