The April 15th tax deadline is almost here, and cash refunds are available for many Californians just by filing federal and state income tax returns.
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Get Cash Refunds by Filing Your Taxes

Dear Neighbor,

The April 15th tax deadline is almost here, and cash refunds are available for many Californians just by filing federal and state income tax returns. It’s true — thanks to state and federal government tax programs that benefit low-income families and individuals.

If you or a family member had earnings between $1 and $31,950, or up to $66,819 for joint filers with children, you could receive a substantial direct cash refund or credit on the taxes you owe. However, you can only receive cash back or a credit by filing a state and federal tax return.

One of the main tax benefit programs that both California and the federal government offer is known as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Under the federal EITC, you could receive a cash refund or credit of up to $7,830. Under California's program, CalEITC, you could additionally receive up to $3,644 cash back or a credit.;

California also has a separate Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) that provides refunds or credits of up to $1,154 to working families who qualify for CalEITC and have one or more child who was younger than age 6 as of Dec. 31, 2024.

In addition, California has the Foster Youth Tax Credit, which provides a cash refund or tax credit of up to $1,154 per eligible current or former foster youth.

Plus, there may be more money on the table for some California residents than ever before. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced recently that over 1.1 million people across the nation have unclaimed refunds from tax year 2021. The IRS estimates that 116,300 of those unclaimed refunds are from California, with an estimated combined total of $92 million in unclaimed returns.

The IRS also estimates that the median potential refund may be $600 for individuals who qualify in California. Furthermore, late filers that would have qualified in tax year 2021 for federal tax credits, like the EITC, will also receive them in full. The federal EITC was worth up to $6,728 for individuals who qualified in tax year 2021. Qualifying taxpayers need to file their missing 2021 return by the April 15 deadline.

This is urgent! Under the law, taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim their tax refunds. If individuals do not file within three years of the original deadline, the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. The IRS compiled the necessary information in one place to help taxpayers navigate this filing of their 2021 tax return. Click here for more information about how to file a 2021 tax return and the qualifying income levels for the federal EITC in 2021.

If you need free tax help to determine your eligibility for some or all of the tax credit programs described above, please check the CalEITC website for locations.

California taxpayers can also file their federal returns for free online with Direct File, and their state taxes online for free with CalFile.

Here is more information on eligibility for the state and federal tax benefit programs:

  • You may qualify for CalEITC if:
    • You're at least 18 years old or have a qualifying child
    • You have earned income of $31,950 or less
    • You (or your spouse or domestic partner if filing a joint return) have a Social Security number or ITIN.
  • If you qualify for CalEITC and have a child under the age of 6 as of the end of the tax year, you may also qualify for CA's Young Child Tax Credit.
  • You may qualify for the federal EITC if:
  • You (or your spouse if filing a joint return) and any qualifying children have a Social Security number
  • You earned at least $1 of income and meet the income threshold, which varies based on family size
  • Note: The income thresholds for federal EITC are higher than for CalEITC.
  • You may qualify for the Foster Youth Tax Credit if:
  • You are a current or former foster youth, age 18 to 25 on Dec. 31, 2024
  • You qualify for CalEITC
  • Were in California foster care at age 13 or older and placed through the California foster care system.

As chair of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, I hope this information is helpful to you. It is an honor to serve you in the state Senate.