Guides to US tax credits
Eight guides covering the credit categories people actually search for, and the mistakes that cost people money.
What Is a Tax Credit vs a Tax Deduction, and Why the Difference Matters
What is a tax credit vs a tax deduction, and why the difference matters: credits cut what you owe dollar-for-dollar, deductions cut what's taxed. Here's how to tell them apart.
Read the guide →Who Qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit — and Why So Many Eligible People Don't Claim It
Who qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and why so many eligible people don't claim it — a plain-English look at who the EITC is aimed at and why it's routinely missed.
Read the guide →Child Tax Credit and Dependent Care Credit Explained for First-Time Parents
Child tax credit and dependent care credit explained for first-time parents — how the two credits differ, who generally qualifies, and how to avoid confusing one for the other.
Read the guide →American Opportunity Credit vs Lifetime Learning Credit: Which Education Credit Fits Your Situation
American Opportunity Credit vs Lifetime Learning Credit: which education credit fits your situation, explained in plain English — who each is generally aimed at and how they differ.
Read the guide →Energy and Home Efficiency Tax Credits After the Inflation Reduction Act: What Actually Changed
Energy and home efficiency tax credits after the Inflation Reduction Act: what actually changed, explained by category — EV credits and home energy credits, without quoting figures that go stale.
Read the guide →Small Business Tax Credits Explained: A Category Overview for Owners
Small business tax credits explained: a category overview for owners covering hiring credits, R&D-related credits, and energy credits — without quoting figures that go stale year to year.
Read the guide →How to Claim a Tax Credit You're Not Sure You're Eligible For
How to claim a tax credit you're not sure you're eligible for — the general process for checking, documenting, and filing a claim, plus why billions in credits go unclaimed every year.
Read the guide →Common Tax Credit Mistakes and How to Amend a Return After Missing One
Common tax credit mistakes and how to amend a return after missing one — the recurring errors that cost people credits, and how the amended-return process generally works.
Read the guide →The Tax Credit Readiness Kit
Pulls together a documentation checklist by credit type, a worksheet for tracking what you've gathered, and the questions worth asking before you assume you do or don't qualify.