Last updated: May 19, 2026
Bottom line for Tennessee moms
Tennessee does not have a state income tax on earned wages, so it also does not have a Tennessee state Earned Income Tax Credit. That does not mean tax credits are off the table. Most single mothers in Tennessee who get a refund are using federal credits, especially the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit, the Child and Dependent Care Credit, education credits, or the Premium Tax Credit.
The biggest step is simple but important: file a federal tax return, even if you do not owe tax. The IRS says EITC depends on income, filing status, and qualifying children, and you can check the current numbers in the IRS EITC tables before you file. This guide is general information, not personal tax advice.
Urgent tax help in Tennessee
If you missed the regular April 15, 2026 federal filing deadline, do not ignore it. The IRS announced disaster tax relief for Tennessee after Winter Storm Fern, and its April 15 update says the relief was expanded to all 95 counties with certain federal deadlines moved to June 8, 2026. Check IRS disaster relief before you assume you are late.
If your refund is stuck and rent, food, utilities, or child care are at risk, use IRS refund status first, then ask for help from a free tax site, a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, or the Taxpayer Advocate Service if the problem has become a hardship.
Where to start
If you have W-2 wages
Gather every W-2, your child’s Social Security number, and direct deposit information. Use the EITC Assistant to check if you may qualify before filing.
If you had gig work
Do not leave out 1099, app, cash, or self-employment income. Report net income correctly. A free tax site can help you sort simple self-employment records.
If you paid for child care
Ask the provider for a year-end statement with name, address, and tax ID. You may need that information for the Child and Dependent Care Credit.
For a wider list of Tennessee benefits, keep the Tennessee help guide open while you work through taxes. Tax credits can help at refund time, but they do not replace food, child care, health care, or housing help during the year.
Quick reference for Tennessee tax credits
| Tax help | What it can help with | Main reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Federal EITC | A refundable credit for many workers with low or moderate earned income. | You must file a federal return and meet income, child, SSN, and filing rules. |
| Child Tax Credit | A federal credit for qualifying children under age 17. | For 2025, the IRS lists the credit at up to $2,200 per child, with up to $1,700 refundable. |
| Child care credit | A credit for care costs that let you work or look for work. | You need the provider’s name, address, and EIN or SSN. |
| Education credits | Help with eligible college, trade school, or training costs. | You usually need Form 1098-T and cannot double count the same expenses. |
| Tennessee tax relief | Property tax relief, property tax freeze, sales tax holiday, and reduced grocery tax. | These are not state income tax credits and many have age, disability, veteran, location, or item rules. |
Federal tax credits single mothers in Tennessee should check
Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit is often the largest federal refund credit for working parents. For tax year 2025, the maximum EITC is $8,046 for three or more qualifying children, $7,152 for two, $4,328 for one, and $649 with no qualifying child. The IRS income table for 2025 says a single or head-of-household filer must have AGI below $61,555 with three or more children, $57,310 with two, $50,434 with one, or $19,104 with no child.
To claim it, file Form 1040 or 1040-SR and Schedule EIC if you claim a child. The IRS explains the filing steps on claim EITC. Do not guess on child residency, income, or Social Security numbers. These are common reasons for refund holds.
Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit
The federal Child Tax Credit can help parents and guardians with qualifying children. The IRS 2025 page says the child generally must be under 17 at the end of the tax year, live with you more than half the year, and have a valid Social Security number. It also lists the credit as up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 per child available through the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit, depending on income and other rules. Start with the IRS Child Tax Credit page, then file Schedule 8812 if you qualify.
ASMOM also has a plain-language child tax credit guide. Use it for general background, but use IRS forms and instructions for your actual return.
Child and Dependent Care Credit
If you paid for child care so you could work or look for work, you may be able to claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit. The IRS instructions say you use Form 2441 when you paid someone to care for a child or qualifying person so you could work or look for work. Check Form 2441 before you file.
This is different from Tennessee child care assistance. If you need help paying for care during the year, see Tennessee child care. The tax credit may help after you file, but it does not pay the provider up front.
Education credits
If you are in college, trade school, or another eligible program, check the American Opportunity Tax Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit. The IRS says education credits can reduce tax owed, and AOTC may be partly refundable. Use the IRS education credits page to compare the credits. For Tennessee school help beyond taxes, see education grants.
Premium Tax Credit
If you bought health insurance through the Marketplace, the Premium Tax Credit may lower monthly premiums or help at tax time. The IRS says people who received advance payments must file Form 8962 and reconcile the payments with the final credit. Start with the IRS Premium Tax Credit overview and keep Form 1095-A from the Marketplace. For health coverage paths in Tennessee, see Tennessee health care.
Tennessee-specific tax help to know
Tennessee’s tax picture is different from many states. The Tennessee Department of Revenue says the state has no income tax on earned income and no state income tax withholding requirement for wages. Read the state’s income tax guidance if a workplace or preparer tells you something different.
| Tennessee item | Who should check | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| No state EITC | Any Tennessee worker looking for a state refund credit. | Focus on federal credits and free filing help. |
| Reduced grocery tax | Families buying food and food ingredients. | The state food tax is 4%, plus local tax. Prepared food and some items are different. |
| Sales tax holiday | Parents buying school clothes, supplies, or a computer. | Use only qualifying items and price limits during the holiday weekend. |
| Property tax relief | Low-income elderly or disabled homeowners, disabled veterans, and some surviving spouses. | Apply through the county trustee or collecting official. |
| Property tax freeze | Homeowners age 65 or older in participating areas with income below the local limit. | Apply each year with the county trustee or city collecting official. |
The Department of Revenue lists the state sales tax rate on food at 4%, while most taxable items and services use the 7% state rate plus local tax. Check Tennessee tax rates when budgeting grocery and household costs.
Tennessee’s sales tax holiday usually matters most for back-to-school shopping. Clothing and school supplies must be $100 or less per item, and computers must be $1,500 or less per item, according to state holiday item rules. Do not buy early just for the tax break if you will miss rent, utilities, or child care.
Property tax programs are mainly for homeowners who are elderly, disabled, disabled veterans, or surviving spouses. The Comptroller explains property tax relief as a reimbursement program, not a full exemption. The property tax freeze is local-option and must be applied for each year.
Free filing help in Tennessee
Many single mothers do not need to pay a tax preparer. IRS Free File is available nationwide, and for 2026 the IRS says guided software is for taxpayers with 2025 AGI of $89,000 or less. Use IRS Free File to start from the official IRS page, not a search ad.
VITA and TCE sites offer free basic tax return help for people who qualify. Use the IRS VITA/TCE locator during tax season. AARP Tax-Aide is also free and focuses on taxpayers over 50 with low to moderate income, but you do not have to be an AARP member. Check the Tax-Aide locator when sites reopen.
Local options change by season. In Middle Tennessee, United Way posts VITA updates and income limits on its Nashville VITA page. In Memphis, the public library system points residents to LINC/2-1-1 and tax help details through Memphis tax help. In the Chattanooga area, the Urban League shares updates on Chattanooga VITA.
If taxes are only one part of a bigger money problem, Tennessee TANF, Tennessee SNAP, and Tennessee WIC may help during the year.
Documents to gather before you file
| Bring or upload | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Photo ID and Social Security cards | VITA and many preparers need to verify you and each person on the return. |
| W-2, 1099, gig, cash, and self-employment records | EITC depends on earned income, and missing income can delay or change your refund. |
| Child residency records | School, medical, child care, lease, or benefits records can help if the IRS asks where your child lived. |
| Child care provider statement | You need provider name, address, and EIN or SSN for Form 2441. |
| Form 1095-A | You need it if anyone in your tax family had Marketplace health insurance. |
| Direct deposit information | E-file with direct deposit is usually faster than a paper return or mailed refund. |
Common mistakes that delay refunds
- Filing before every W-2, 1099, and Marketplace form has arrived.
- Claiming a child who did not live with you more than half the year when the credit requires it.
- Letting a paid preparer use your refund to sell you an expensive bank product.
- Forgetting Form 8962 after Marketplace insurance.
- Guessing on self-employment income instead of using basic records.
- Ignoring an IRS letter because it looks scary or confusing.
If your budget is tight, also check utility help, housing help, and emergency assistance instead of waiting only on a refund.
If your refund is delayed, reduced, or denied
Refunds with EITC or ACTC are held by law until mid-February. For early 2026 filers, the IRS expected most EITC and ACTC refunds to be in bank accounts by March 2, 2026 when the return had direct deposit and no other issue. Use EITC refund timing for the current IRS explanation.
If the IRS denied or reduced EITC, CTC, ACTC, ODC, or AOTC in a prior year for reasons other than math or clerical error, you may need Form 8862 before claiming the credit again. Read Form 8862 rules and get help if you are unsure.
For audits, collection problems, or tax disputes, Low Income Taxpayer Clinics may represent people for free or low cost. Start with IRS LITC help. If you have tried to resolve a serious IRS problem and it is causing hardship, the Taxpayer Advocate may be another path.
If the tax issue connects to custody, child support, divorce, domestic violence, or immigration questions, get qualified help before filing a return that could make things worse. ASMOM’s Tennessee legal help, child support guide, and safety resources can point you to more support.
Backup options if taxes will not solve the problem
A tax refund can help, but it usually does not arrive fast enough for a shutoff notice, empty fridge, eviction filing, or urgent child care need. Call TN 211 and ask for local help with rent, utilities, food, diapers, transportation, tax prep, and legal aid. Ask for more than one referral because funding can open and close.
If you are waiting on a refund and your car, phone, or job search is the issue, check job training and transportation help too. Those supports may keep income coming in while the tax return is being processed.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling a VITA site
“Hi, I’m a single parent in Tennessee and I need help filing my 2025 federal tax return. My household income was about ____. Do you have appointments, and can you help with EITC, Child Tax Credit, child care expenses, or a 1099?”
Calling a child care provider
“Hi, I’m filing taxes and need a year-end child care statement. Can you give me the total I paid in 2025, your business name, address, and EIN or SSN for Form 2441?”
Calling about an IRS letter
“I received an IRS letter about my refund or tax credit. I do not understand what is missing. Can you help me identify the form or document I need before the response deadline?”
Calling 211
“I’m waiting on a tax refund, but I need help now with _____. Can you search for current programs in my county and tell me what documents they need?”
Resumen en español
Tennessee no tiene un crédito estatal EITC porque no cobra impuesto estatal sobre salarios. Muchas madres solteras todavía pueden reclamar créditos federales, como EITC, Child Tax Credit, crédito por cuidado de niños, créditos de educación y Premium Tax Credit.
Presente una declaración federal si puede calificar. Guarde W-2, 1099, números de Seguro Social, prueba de que sus hijos viven con usted, recibos de cuidado infantil y Form 1095-A si tuvo seguro del Marketplace. Si recibe una carta del IRS, pida ayuda antes de ignorarla.
FAQ
Does Tennessee have a state EITC?
No. Tennessee does not have a state income tax on earned wages, so there is no Tennessee state EITC. Tennessee workers should check federal credits and free filing help.
Can I get EITC if I am a single mother in Tennessee?
Maybe. You must have earned income and meet IRS rules for income, filing status, Social Security numbers, investment income, and qualifying children if you claim a child.
Do I need to file if I do not owe taxes?
Yes, if you want to claim refundable credits like EITC or Additional Child Tax Credit. The IRS will not send those credits automatically without a filed return.
What if another parent wants to claim my child?
Tax rules can be strict. Do not guess. Check who the child lived with, any custody documents, and IRS rules. If there is a court or safety issue, ask a tax professional or legal aid.
Can a free tax site help with gig income?
Some VITA sites can help with simple self-employment or gig income, but not every site handles every form. Ask before making an appointment.
What should I do if my refund is delayed?
Check IRS refund status first. If you get a letter, answer it by the deadline. For a tax dispute or hardship, ask a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic or the Taxpayer Advocate Service.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 19, 2026, next review August 19, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.