Editor’s note: This piece was first published by the National Women’s Law Center and is cross-posted with permission.

Tax season has arrived! Between now and April 15, you should plan to file your tax year 2024 taxes. Follow our steps below to make sure you don’t miss out on any tax benefits for you and your family.    

Claim Federal Tax Credits for Families 

• Do you have children? You may be eligible for the Child Tax Credit (CTC), which provides families up to $2,000 for each child under the age of 17.   

• Did you have earned income in 2024? You may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which provides up to $7,830 for workers raising children at home and $632 for workers who do not have children or aren’t currently raising children at home. The size of your credit will depend on your income, your marital status, and the size of your family.   

• Do you pay for child care so you can work or look for work? You may be eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), which provides up to $2,100 to help cover out-of-pocket child and dependent care expenses from 2024. This includes expenses for child care, babysitters, and summer camps.   

Don’t Forget State Tax Benefits  

In addition to the federal tax credits, your family may be eligible for tax benefits through your state. State tax credits often mirror the federal tax credits, so if you are eligible for the federal CTC, EITC, or CDCTC, check to see if you are eligible for your state’s version as well.   

• 16 states (including the District of Columbia) have state CTCs.  Find out if your state has a CTC here.    

• 32 states (including the District of Columbia) have state EITCs. Find out if your state has an EITC here.   

• 29 states (including the District of Columbia) have state CDCTCs or other child and dependent care tax provisions. Find out if your state provides a state version of the CDCTC here.    

Get Help Filing Your Taxes  

Filing taxes can be difficult and expensive, but there are several free resources available for many families.   

• Do you live in Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming? Then you may be eligible for Direct File, which allows families to file tax returns with the IRS quickly, easily, and for free!  

• Check your eligibility for Direct File here.   

There is also tax preparation assistance available to families in all states.   

• GetYourRefund.org can connect you with an IRS-certified volunteer who can help you file your taxes for free. (Spanish version available here.)   

• Free tax assistance may be available through VITA and Tax Counsel for the Elderly.     

• You can also get access to free tax filing software at MyFreeTaxes.com 

Make Sure the Tax Code Works for Families—Not Just the Wealthy Few 

While you’re thinking about taxes, we wanted to let you know about a big debate over taxes happening right now. Republican leaders in Congress are pushing for new and costly tax breaks that benefit billionaires and mega-corporations—at the expense of everyone else. We need to make the tax code work better for women and families, not give away more tax breaks to the rich.  

Tell Congress to prioritize women and families in the tax debates here.