Earned Income
Earned income includes all of the following types of income:
- Wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable employee pay. Employee pay is earned income only if it is taxable. Nontaxable employee pay, such as certain dependent care benefits and adoption benefits, is not earned income. But there is an exception for nontaxable combat pay, which you can choose to include in earned income, as explained below.
- Net earnings from self-employment.
- Gross income received as a statutory employee.
Nontaxable combat pay election. You can elect to include your nontaxable combat pay in earned income for the earned income credit.
Net earnings from self-employment. You may have net earnings from self-employment if:
- You own your business, or
- You are a minister or member of a religious order.
Minister's housing. The rental value of a home or a housing allowance provided to a minister as part of the minister's pay generally is not subject to income tax but is included in net earnings from self-employment.
Statutory employee. You are a statutory employee if you receive a Form W-2 on which the Statutory employee box (box 13) is checked.
Strike benefits. Strike benefits paid by a union to its members are earned income.
Amounts you received for performing ministerial duties as an employee count as earned income. This includes wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable employee compensation. Amounts you received for performing ministerial duties, but not as an employee, do not count as earned income. Examples include fees for performing marriages and honoraria for delivering speeches.
Disability Benefits. If you retired on disability, benefits you receive under your employer's disability retirement plan are considered earned income until you reach minimum retirement age. Minimum retirement age generally is the earliest age at which you could have received a pension or annuity if you were not disabled. Beginning on the day after you reach minimum retirement age, payments you receive are taxable as a pension and are not considered earned income.
This information is found in Publication 596, Earned Income Credit.
FAQs
Earned income includes all the taxable income and wages you get from working for someone else, yourself or from a business or farm you own.
What is considered earned income? ›
Earned Income. Earned income includes all of the following types of income: Wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable employee pay. Employee pay is earned income only if it is taxable.
What qualifies you for earned income? ›
Earned income is wages, salaries, tips, and other employee compensation that is subject to California withholding, or net income from self-employment.
What is an example of income earned? ›
Examples of earned income are: wages; salaries; tips; and other taxable employee compensation. Earned income also includes net earnings from self-employment.
How do I calculate my earned income? ›
Earned income is your total earnings after deducting taxes you've already paid, applying credits such as the EIC and other deductions. Earned income that might not be common can include union strike benefits, specific retirement pensions and long-term disability benefits.
What is not considered earned income? ›
Earned income is any income received from a job or self-employment. Earned income may include wages, salary, tips, bonuses, and commissions. Income derived from investments and government benefit programs would not be considered earned income.
Is social security considered earned income? ›
Unearned Income is all income that is not earned such as Social Security benefits, pensions, State disability payments, unemployment benefits, interest income, dividends, and cash from friends and relatives. In-Kind Income is food, shelter, or both that you get for free or for less than its fair market value.
Why am I not eligible for earned income? ›
You have to be 25 or older but under 65 to qualify for the EIC. You also have to have lived in the United States for more than half of the year and can't be a dependent of another person.
What are the three forms of earned income? ›
Types of Earned Income
- Wages, salary or tips where federal income taxes are withheld on Form W-2, box 1.
- Income from a job where your employer didn't withhold tax (such as gig economy work) including: ...
- Money made from self-employment, including if you: ...
- Benefits from a union strike.
The Earned Income Tax Credit ( EITC ) is a tax credit that may give you money back at tax time or lower the federal taxes you owe. You can claim the credit whether you're single or married, or have children or not. The main requirement is that you must earn money from a job.
Unearned Income. Unearned income includes investment-type income such as taxable interest, ordinary dividends, and capital gain distributions.
What is one example of unearned income? ›
Unearned income is not acquired through work or business activities. Examples of unearned income include inheritance money and interest or dividends earned from investments. Tax rates on unearned income are different from rates on earned income.
What is the difference between earned income and unearned income? ›
Earned income refers to the money that you make from working, including salaries, wages, tips and professional fees. Unearned income, comparatively, is the money that you receive without performing work, such as dividends, interest or rental income.
What is not considered earned income for Social Security? ›
This means you are paying into the Social Security system that protects you for retirement, disability, survivors, and Medicare benefits. Pension payments, annuities, and the interest or dividends from your savings and investments are not earnings for Social Security purposes.
Is rental income considered earned income? ›
Rental income is typically considered to be unearned income by the IRS. Unlike earned income, which primarily includes wages, salaries, or business income from active participation, unearned income typically includes sources such as interest, dividends, and rental income from real estate.
What is the average tax return for a single person making $60,000? ›
If you make $60,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $13,653. That means that your net pay will be $46,347 per year, or $3,862 per month.
What is considered earned income vs unearned income? ›
Earned income refers to the money that you make from working, including salaries, wages, tips and professional fees. Unearned income, comparatively, is the money that you receive without performing work, such as dividends, interest or rental income.
What is an example of unearned income? ›
Unearned income is not acquired through work or business activities. Examples of unearned income include inheritance money and interest or dividends earned from investments. Tax rates on unearned income are different from rates on earned income.
Is 1099 income considered earned income? ›
A 1099 form shows non-employment income, such as income earned by freelancers and independent contractors. On the other hand, a W-2 shows the annual wages or employment income that a taxpayer earned from a particular employer during the tax year.
What is the difference between ordinary income and earned income? ›
Ordinary income is also referred to as earned income. It's any money that's earned or received from your employer or through business activities. Ordinary income earnings are subject to various tax rates outlined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), such as income tax, marginal income tax, and ordinary tax.
