With the regular application period for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) coming to a close, applicants' attention is shifting to the official screening results and the payment schedule. The National Tax Service plans to comprehensively screen this year's received applications based on income, assets, and household type before proceeding with the payment process. Notably, this year the EITC is scheduled to be paid early on August 27, more than a month ahead of the statutory payment deadline at the end of September.

Consequently, households that have completed their applications will undergo a screening process lasting approximately three months until the payment date. During this period, the National Tax Service will cross-check the application details against various administrative data to finalize eligibility and the exact payment amount.

Recently, there has been a growing trend of applicants attempting to check the progress of their screening through Hometax and Sontax. Inquiries such as "It says 'under screening'; when will the results be out?", "Can the estimated payment amount differ from the actual payment?", and "Is the payment at the end of August confirmed?" are continuously appearing on online communities.

In practice, the final payment amount of the EITC may differ from the estimated amount provided at the time of application. This is because the precise income, asset scale, and household composition are all factored in during the screening process. Once the screening is complete, the National Tax Service will individually notify the eligible recipients, and upon the final decision, the credit will be deposited directly into the applicant's registered bank account.

Expectations are rising that the early disbursement of the credit will provide substantial relief to working-class households struggling with ongoing inflationary pressures this year. However, since eligibility and the final amount depend on individual screening results, it is crucial to check the final notification once the screening process is completed.

[※ The information provided in this article is intended to assist in general policy understanding, and actual eligibility and payment amounts may vary depending on individual circumstances. As government policies are subject to change, please ensure you consult official sources, such as those from the National Tax Service. AI was utilized in the process of organizing some of the data for this article.]