The "late application" period for households that missed the regular application window for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) will close on December 1. According to the National Tax Service (NTS) website (under the EITC and Child Tax Credit application period and method page in the tax policy and system section), the late application period is explicitly stated to run from June 2 to December 1, 2026.

The EITC is an employment-linked support system designed to supplement the actual income of low-income households that have earned income, business income, or religious income. Since the application method varies depending on the type of income, special attention is required.

Application Methods by Income Type: Business Income Earners Eligible Only for "Regular Application"

According to NTS guidelines, those with only earned income may choose between a half-year application and a regular application. In contrast, freelancers, self-employed individuals, and those with business or religious income are only eligible for the regular application.

• The respective application periods are as follows:
• Regular Application: Based on 2025 annual income / May 1 – June 1, 2026
• Half-Year Application (Earned Income Earners Only): Based on first-half income (September 1 – September 15, 2026), based on second-half income (March 1 – March 15, 2027)

A critical point easily overlooked is that business income earners who miss the May regular application period may be entirely excluded if they attempt to apply during the September half-year application window. Business income earners cannot use the half-year application channel at all, and even a small amount of business income disqualifies any half-year application record. The remedy channel for these individuals is the "late application," which runs from June 2 to December 1, and is evaluated based solely on regular application eligibility criteria.

5% Reduction in Payment Amount: What Are the Application Methods and Eligibility Requirements?

• Unlike the regular application, the late application only pays 95% of the calculated final credit amount, with the remaining 5% deducted. The application methods are as follows:
• If you received a notification: ARS phone call, entering the individual authentication number within the Hometax or Sontax app, or scanning the QR code on the mobile notification
• If you did not receive a notification: If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can apply directly through the "Direct Input Application" menu in the Hometax or Sontax app

• To receive the credit, all of the following income and asset requirements must be met:
• Income Requirement (2025 combined annual gross income of the couple): Single-person household under 22 million won; single-earner household under 32 million won; dual-earner household under 44 million won
• Asset Requirement (Total assets of all household members as of June 1, 2025): Under 240 million won. (Liabilities are not deducted, and housing, land, automobiles, jeonse deposits, savings, and stocks are all aggregated.)

Check Your "Application History" Before Applying

For those hoping to receive the benefit, it is important to first verify their income type. If there is even a small amount of business or religious income, applicants should not wait for half-year application results or schedules and must complete their submission through the regular or late application by December 1.

Conversely, households with only earned income who have already completed the half-year application do not need to file a duplicate regular or late application. In such cases, it is essential to first check one's application history through the "Review Progress Status" inquiry on Hometax.

[This article is intended for informational purposes regarding policy. For exact eligibility, payment amounts, and application deadlines for individual households, please verify through the NTS website or Hometax. This article was partially assisted by AI.]