Louisiana Earned Income Tax Credit Calculator
Figure basis: Official Louisiana Department of RevenueThe Louisiana earned income tax credit (EITC) is a state credit for working people with low to moderate income, set as 5% of your federal EITC. This calculator estimates your federal EITC from your earned income, filing status, and number of qualifying children using the IRS 2026 tables, then applies the Louisiana rule to give your state credit. The Louisiana credit is refundable. Enter your details to see both your estimated federal EITC and your Louisiana credit. Figures are an estimate: the IRS computes the federal credit from $50 income bands, so your exact credit may differ by a few dollars. The state percentage is sourced from Louisiana Department of Revenue and verified for 2026.
A single filer in Louisiana with 2 children earning $25,000 has an estimated federal EITC of $7,082.23 and a Louisiana credit of $354.11 (5% of the federal credit).
How the Louisiana EITC works
The Louisiana credit is built on the federal EITC. First the federal credit is found from your earned income, filing status, and qualifying children (it phases in, plateaus at a maximum, then phases out as income rises). Then Louisiana applies 5% of your federal EITC. The Louisiana credit is refundable, so if it is larger than the state tax you owe, you receive the difference as a refund.
federal EITC = phase-in, plateau, then phase-out per the IRS 2026 tables
Louisiana EITC = federal EITC x Louisiana percentage
Louisiana's 5% credit carries an expiry date worth checking
Louisiana's earned income tax credit is 5% of the federal EITC, one of the smallest rates among the states that offer a credit at all, but it is refundable, which still makes it worth claiming for working families across the state. This tool estimates your federal credit and then applies the 5% Louisiana rate to it.
The number to watch is the 5% itself. Louisiana doubled the credit from 3.5% to 5% starting in tax year 2019, and that increase was written with an end date rather than made permanent, scheduled to run through tax year 2025 before the rate could revert to 3.5% unless the legislature extended it. Because this page is built for tax year 2026, the applied rate is precisely the figure a filer should re-confirm against the current Louisiana IT-540 instructions, since a drop back to 3.5% would cut the state credit by roughly a third.
Even at 5%, Louisiana stands out in its region: neighboring Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama offer no state EITC at all, so a Louisiana worker gets a top-up that an identical family a few miles away would not. Treat the credit as refundable money back, not merely a reduction in tax owed, and verify the live rate and its status for 2026 with the Louisiana Department of Revenue before you rely on the number shown here.
Louisiana EITC: frequently asked questions
How much is the Louisiana earned income tax credit?
The Louisiana EITC is 5% of your federal EITC. For example, a single filer with 2 children earning $25,000 has an estimated federal EITC of $7,082.23 and a Louisiana credit of about $354.11. Enter your own details above for your figure.
Is the Louisiana EITC refundable?
The Louisiana credit is refundable, so if it is larger than the state tax you owe, you receive the difference as a refund.
Do I qualify for the Louisiana earned income credit?
Generally, if you qualify for the federal EITC you also qualify for the Louisiana credit, which is based on it. You need earned income, a valid Social Security number, and investment income under the federal limit ($12,200 for 2026).
How is the Louisiana EITC calculated?
First your federal EITC is computed from your earned income, filing status, and number of qualifying children using the IRS 2026 tables. Then Louisiana applies 5% of your federal EITC. This calculator does both steps for you.
Official sources
- Louisiana EITC percentage and refundability: Louisiana Department of Revenue, as at Jul 15, 2026.
- Federal EITC 2026 parameters: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, Internal Revenue Service.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 July 2026. See our methodology. General information, not tax advice; your exact credit is set on your tax return.