Checked against the National Tax Service announcement of 2 November 2026 and its attached PDF. If you missed the regular May application for Korea's earned income tax credit (근로장려금) or child tax credit (자녀장려금) for 2025 income, the late-application deadline is Tuesday, 1 December 2026. Receiving a notice is not the only way to apply, and submitting an application is not a promise of payment. The cover is AI-generated concept art, not an image of a real government office or the Hometax interface. The Korean Naver post presents a question-first pre-application checklist.
Start with the applicable income year
This round concerns income attributable to 2025, not income newly earned in 2026. According to the NTS document, the starting point is a resident who, personally or through a spouse, had employment, business or religious-worker income in 2025 and who satisfies the household, income and property conditions. Someone now retired can still check whether their 2025 income qualifies. Your current employment status alone is not the test.
The same official PDF also describes a proposed expansion of the earned income credit from 2027-attributable income. Its higher proposed income ceilings and maximum payments must not be used to judge this 2025-income late application. When comparing search results, check both the income year and whether a figure is current law or a proposal.
Household income and property are separate tests
For the earned income credit, the NTS states that combined annual 2025 income of the applicant and spouse must be below KRW 22 million for a single-person household, 32 million for a single-earner household, or 44 million for a dual-earner household. For the child credit, a household with a dependent child under 18 must have combined annual income below KRW 70 million. The official table defines household categories using the position on 31 December 2025, including specific rules for a spouse, dependent children and older direct ascendants. Do not assign yourself a category simply from an everyday description such as “married” or “living alone.” For example, the dual-earner definition refers to at least KRW 3 million of specified earnings for each spouse. The document says only one person in a household receives the credit.
For both credits, the combined property of all household members on 1 June 2025 must be below KRW 240 million. The official list includes real estate, vehicles, tenancy deposits and financial assets; debts are not deducted. Property worth at least KRW 170 million but less than KRW 240 million triggers a separate rule limiting payment to 50% of the calculated amount. The detailed valuation of a tenancy deposit can require a lease agreement. A bank balance or salary figure by itself cannot establish eligibility.
No notice? Direct application may still be possible
The NTS says it is sending late-application notices to about 260,000 households that had not applied for 2025-income credits. Its review newly identified some households after income records arrived following the May notice process. A notice means the NTS sees a potential applicant; it is not a final award. An examination of income and property can change the estimated amount or lead to no payment.
If you did not receive a notice but believe you meet the conditions, the announcement says you may file directly on Hometax. Its published route is Hometax → log in → 장려금 (credits) → 근로·자녀장려금 정기 신청 (regular earned/child credit application) → 직접입력 신청 (direct-entry application). It calls for evidence such as an income confirmation issued by an employer. The attached FAQ says applicants without a notice may use Hometax on a PC or mobile device, or a paper application. Do not assume that a QR code or simplified ARS route intended for a notice recipient works identically for a person without a notice. Check the live official interface if menu labels have changed.
To see whether you are listed as a notice recipient, the announcement gives a separate route after login: 장려금 → 안내대상자 여부 조회. The PDF FAQ gives more detailed PC and mobile menu names. Not being a notice recipient is not, by itself, a final ruling that the substantive conditions cannot be met. Conversely, having a notice does not remove the later eligibility review.
What “95% payment” actually means
The NTS says it plans to examine late applications and pay 95% of the calculated credit, reflecting a 5% late-application reduction, on 15 January 2027. This is a planned payment date, not a guaranteed individual deposit date. Nor does 95% mean that every applicant receives 95% of the maximum credit advertised for their household category. The calculated amount depends on the applicable income, household and property rules, and the property-band reduction may also matter. Even a notice's estimated amount can change after review.
Before the deadline, confirm the 2025 income year; the 31 December household and 1 June property reference dates; whether you need the direct-entry route and supporting documents; and whether Hometax shows a completed submission. Enter the Hometax address yourself if an unfamiliar text-message link appears suspicious. Use the NTS's official notices and Hometax for the eventual individual decision. This article explains the public announcement; it does not determine any particular person's tax-credit entitlement.
About the Author
The Life Mokcha editorial team reviews official announcements and primary sources to explain practical information. Check the linked original sources for applicable terms and later updates.
