Earned+Income+Tax+Credit

The earned income credit (EITC) is a tax credit for certain people who work and have low wages. A tax credit usually means more money in your pocket. It reduces the amount of tax you owe. The EITC may also give you a refund.

To claim the EITC on your tax return, you must meet all of the following rules:
 * Must have a valid Social Security Number
 * You must have earned income from employment or from self-employment.
 * Your filing status cannot be married, filing separately.
 * You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien all year, or a nonresident alien married to a U.S. citizen or resident alien and filing a joint return.
 * You **cannot** be a qualifying child of another person.
 * If you do not have a qualifying child, you must:
 * be age 25 but under 65 at the end of the year,
 * live in the United States for more than half the year, and
 * not qualify as a dependent of another person

Short Term: Based on your low income, you would not have to pay/spend money on taxes. Long Term: Since you weren't spending all of your money on taxes during your hard times, you could save the money, and thus make it easier to boost yourself up and spend money on important things like food and a home, well as other necessities.