Header and Spanish note
Taxpayer name, taxpayer identification number and tax year, then a short note in English and Spanish and the links IRS.gov/eitc and IRS.gov/espanol.
886-H-EIC
Documents You Need to Provide You Can Claim the Earned Income Credit on the Basis of a Qualifying Child or Children
- Agency
- IRS
- Revision
- Rev. 10-2022
- Fillable fields
- 8
- Pages
- 2
- Official source
- IRS form page
- Checked
- October 21, 2026
Form 886-H-EIC: Documents to Send to Claim the EIC With a Qualifying Child
Form 886-H-EIC, Documents You Need to Send to Claim the Earned Income Credit on the Basis of a Qualifying Child or Children for Tax Year 2022, is a two-page list from the Internal Revenue Service. The form says that to get the Earned Income Credit (EIC), the child must have lived with you, be related to you and be a certain age, and it has one numbered section for each of those three tests.
The header has spaces for the taxpayer name, taxpayer identification number and tax year. The form says the IRS needs proof for all three tests, and it ends with a checklist of things to check before sending copies. It also says a Spanish version, Form 886-H-EIC (SP), is at IRS.gov/espanol or by calling 1-800-829-3676.
You can fill out the PDF free in your browser on this page and download it without an account.
What's on Form 886-H-EIC
Section 1: where the child lived
The child lived with the taxpayer for more than half of 2022 in the United States, which the form says includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia but not Puerto Rico or U.S. possessions such as Guam.
Section 2: how the child is related
A table with one row per relationship, from son or daughter to foster child, and the copies to send for each.
Section 3: the child's age
Rows for a child under age 19, a full-time student age 19 but under age 24, and a person of any age who is permanently and totally disabled.
Checklist before sending
Points to check: the records prove all three tests, are for 2022, are legally translated if not in English, and are not signed by a relative.
How to use Form 886-H-EIC
- 1
Fill in the header
Enter the taxpayer name, taxpayer identification number and tax year at the top of page 1.
- 2
Prove where the child lived
The form lists school, medical, adoption, placement or court records showing the U.S. address, the taxpayer's name, the child's name and dates, or dated letterhead statements from a school, childcare provider (not a relative), landlord, employer or others it names.
- 3
P.O. Box addresses
If a P.O. Box is the mailing address, the form asks for a completed Form 1093, P.O. Box Application, stamped by the Post Office.
- 4
Prove the relationship
Find the row in section 2 for the child and gather the birth certificates, court decree, paternity test results, marriage licenses or agency statements it lists.
- 5
Prove the age
The form says nothing at this time for a child under age 19 at the end of 2022 who is younger than the taxpayer. For a student age 19 but under 24, it asks for school records showing full-time status for any part of five months. For a disabled person, it asks for a letter from a doctor, health care provider, social service program or government agency.
- 6
Check and send copies
Run through the checklist on page 2, then send copies. The form notes one record can prove more than one test, for example a school record with the address and the parent listed.
Why fill Form 886-H-EIC on indox
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Where it goes and what the IRS accepts
Where it goes
The form asks the taxpayer to send copies of the documents to the IRS. It prints no mailing address, deadline or fax number.
Tax year 2022
This revision covers tax year 2022, and the checklist says the documents are to be for 2022, not the current year.
Missing documents
The form says that without the legal documents it asks for, EITC cannot be claimed with that child, and that the taxpayer may still be eligible for EIC without a qualifying child.
Documents from relatives
The form says the IRS cannot accept documents signed by someone related to the taxpayer, for example a sister who takes care of the child.
More information
The form points to IRS.gov/eitc for who qualifies, and to IRS.gov/espanol or 1-800-829-3676 for the Spanish version.
Related forms
Who uses Form 886-H-EIC?
The form is written to the taxpayer named at the top, who sends copies of the listed documents to the IRS. It does not say when the IRS issues it.
Official sources and the blank
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Questions about Form 886-H-EIC
What does Form 886-H-EIC ask the taxpayer to prove?
Three things: the child lived with the taxpayer, is related to the taxpayer and is a certain age. The form says the IRS needs proof for all three.
Does time spent in Puerto Rico or Guam count?
The form says the United States includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and does not include Puerto Rico or U.S. possessions such as Guam.
Does time away at school count as living at home?
The form says to count time the taxpayer or child is temporarily away for special circumstances such as illness, college, business, vacation, military service or detention in a juvenile facility.
Can a relative who babysits sign a statement?
No. The form says the IRS cannot accept documents signed by someone related to the taxpayer, and gives the example of a sister who cares for the child.
Can one record prove more than one test?
Yes. The form says school records that show the address and list the taxpayer as the parent can prove both residency and relationship, and the age of a student age 19 but under 24.
Is there a Spanish version?
The form says Form 886-H-EIC (SP) is at IRS.gov/espanol or by calling 1-800-829-3676.