EITC and Tax Credits for Single Mothers in Indiana

Where to start

Start with the return you need to file, not with the largest refund number you see online. A single mother, single father, grandparent caregiver, or pregnant worker may qualify for more than one tax credit. The rules depend on income, filing status, where the child lived, who can claim the child, Social Security numbers, and the tax year.

For a wider tax overview, use ASMOM’s tax filing guide. If taxes are only one part of your budget, the Indiana help page can point you to food, health coverage, child care, rent, and other help.

Quick reference for Indiana families

Federal EITC for 2025 returns

The federal EITC is for people who worked and had earned income. The IRS says earned income can include wages, tips, self-employment income, and some gig work. It does not include child support, unemployment, Social Security benefits, interest, or alimony. Use the official IRS EITC tables for the tax year you are filing.

For tax year 2025, the IRS lists these maximum EITC amounts. These are maximums, not promises. Your credit may be lower or zero.

The 2025 investment income limit is $11,950 or less. If you are separated, share custody, have a child who lived with relatives, or have a child with another parent trying to claim the same child, ask for help before you file.

Indiana earned income credit

Indiana has its own earned income credit. The Indiana Department of Revenue says the Indiana earned income tax credit is now 10% of the federal earned income tax credit as of January 1, 2023. The state explains this in its Indiana EITC bulletin.

You generally start with the federal EITC. Then you claim the Indiana credit on the correct Indiana return and Schedule IN-EIC. The Indiana tax credits page lists Indiana’s earned income credit, and the Indiana forms page lists current individual forms, including Schedule IN-EIC for 2025 returns.

Indiana says part-year residents may have an apportioned earned income credit. This means your state credit can depend on your Indiana income compared with your total income. If you moved into or out of Indiana during the year, use the state instructions or a trained preparer.

Indiana also lists other credits, such as the Indiana 529 credit and certain property or local tax credits. These are different from EITC. Do not claim a credit just because it appears on a list. Check the rule for that credit first.

Child Tax Credit and other dependent credits

The federal Child Tax Credit can help families with qualifying children. For tax year 2025, the IRS says the credit is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child. If your federal tax is low or zero, the Additional Child Tax Credit may refund up to $1,700 per qualifying child, depending on your earned income and other rules.

For the Child Tax Credit, the child generally must be under 17 at the end of the tax year, live with you for more than half the year, be your dependent, and have a Social Security number valid for work. The IRS also has citizenship or resident rules for the child. If a child does not qualify for the Child Tax Credit, the Credit for Other Dependents may help, but it is not refundable.

You claim these credits on your federal return and may need Schedule 8812. If a child lived with two households during the year, free tax help can be worth it. This is a common reason refunds are delayed or credits are questioned.

Child and dependent care credit

The federal child and dependent care credit may help if you paid someone to care for a child or another qualifying person so you could work or look for work. The IRS care credit rules say the credit is based on a percentage of work-related care expenses. The expenses used to figure the credit are limited to $3,000 for one qualifying person or $6,000 for two or more.

This is not the same as a child care subsidy. It is a tax credit. You usually need the provider’s name, address, and identifying number. You also need proof of what you paid. If your provider will not give you the information, ask a tax preparer how to show that you made a reasonable effort.

Indiana does not list a separate personal child and dependent care credit on its current individual credit page. Indiana does list some business or employer child care credits, but those are not the same as a personal credit for a parent’s return.

If you need help paying for care now, do not wait for tax time. Check Indiana child care for subsidy and local child care help.

How to file for free or low cost

Many Indiana parents do not need to pay to file a basic return. For 2025 returns filed in 2026, the IRS said IRS Free File guided software was available to taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less. Each partner can set its own rules, so check the offer before you start.

Indiana also offers INfreefile, which lets eligible people file federal and Indiana returns through approved software. If you want a person to help you, the IRS has a VITA/TCE locator for free volunteer tax sites. The IRS says VITA often serves people with income generally $69,000 and below, people with disabilities, older adults, and limited-English speakers.

Documents to gather before filing

A missing form, wrong Social Security number, or unclear child record can slow a refund. Put your papers in one folder before you file. For a wider benefits list, use the ASMOM documents checklist before you apply for tax help or other programs.

Refund timing and tracking

If you claim EITC or the Additional Child Tax Credit, your federal refund may take longer. The IRS says it cannot issue refunds with EITC or ACTC before mid-February. Use the IRS refund timing page instead of social media refund dates.

You can track a federal refund with the IRS refund tracker. For Indiana, the Indiana refund tracker says e-filed returns may take up to three weeks to process, paper returns may take up to 12 weeks, and your bank may take more time to deposit the money. Indiana also lists 317-232-2240, option 3, for refund status.

Refunds can be delayed by math errors, missing schedules, duplicate dependent claims, wrong bank numbers, identity checks, or letters mailed to an old address. If you have an Indiana DOR account, DOR INTIME can be used for messages, notices, payments, and some account steps.

If your credit is denied, delayed, or questioned

Do not panic, but do not ignore the letter. Read the notice slowly. It should show the tax year, the credit, the deadline, and what records are needed. Keep copies of anything you send. If the IRS letter is about EITC, start with the official IRS EITC letter page.

If the problem is with Indiana, contact DOR through its normal customer service or INTIME first. If the issue is not being solved, Indiana has taxpayer advocate options through DOR. If the problem is with the IRS and it is causing serious hardship, the Taxpayer Advocate Service may be able to review your situation.

For a tax dispute, audit, tax debt, identity theft issue, or court notice, ask for legal tax help. Indiana Legal Services has a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic for eligible Indiana residents with IRS or Indiana DOR tax problems. National Low Income Taxpayer Clinics help with tax disputes, not routine tax preparation.

If the same problem is happening with SNAP, Medicaid, child care, or other benefits, the ASMOM benefits problem guide can help you organize notices, deadlines, and calls.