TAX filing advice needed!

[peace123]

Does EITC, earned income tax credit count unemployment income? I guess not cos it is the world EARNED and Unemployment is not Earned right?

I filed tax myself online, married jointly filed for the first time last year using the freetaxusa.com website as suggested by some of DDers. I didn't qualify for EITC cos my W2 income with unemployment income in 2020 was lot more then the $48,108 limit with one qualifying child.

This year I researched more about the EITC online and it looks like I should have qualified for it last year and this year too?

My w2 income in 2020 and 2021 is less then $40K. Also the pandemic  caused  temporary job loss for several months and reduced wage in 2020 and 2021.  We are low income family cos my spouse stays home caring for our special needs child.  Should I have qualified for EITC?

Also what about child tax credit? I did receive some extra $250monthly for few months last year.

Any other credits or deductions we can qualify for?
thanks

[ckmk47]

I hope you get all your answers here.
But it might pay to pay an accountant this year.  Ask him about last year, and use this years returns as a template for the future when you use freetaxusa.com

[bubkiz]

IME using a tax professional to file your return (and more importantly to advise how plan coming tax years) pays for itself.

[Dawie]

post in the ask an accountant thread for better results
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=36024.msg2548260#msg2548260

and

using a tax professional to file your return (and more importantly to advise how plan coming tax years) pays for itself.