SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two Illinois tax credits provided more than $600 million in tax relief to working families in 2025, according to preliminary data released by Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration.
The Illinois Department of Revenue says approximately 950,000 families benefited from the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or both last year.
Families receiving both credits kept an average of about $1,460 through the programs, according to the state.
Preliminary figures show more than 946,000 families claimed the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit in 2025, totaling about $499 million. The average credit was $527.
Another 405,000 families claimed the state’s Child Tax Credit, totaling about $134 million. The average Child Tax Credit increased from $160 in 2024 to $331 in 2025.
Illinois created its Child Tax Credit in 2024. The refundable credit was initially worth 20% of a qualifying family’s state Earned Income Tax Credit before increasing to 40% for the 2025 tax year.
Families with children under age 12 can qualify for the credit.
For example, the state says a married couple with two qualifying children earning less than $64,430 could qualify for up to $1,430 through the Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit. If at least one child is under 12, the family could receive another $572 through the Child Tax Credit, for a combined maximum state benefit of about $2,000.
The amount a family qualifies for varies based on income and household size.
The Department of Revenue also continues to contact taxpayers who claimed the federal Earned Income Tax Credit but did not claim the corresponding Illinois credit. The state says that outreach effort has resulted in an additional $26 million in tax relief since it began in 2020.
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