[header] How to calculate tax credits [title] Understand what tax credits are. [step] Tax credits are an amount of money that you can take off of the amount of taxes that you owe in a given year. These reductions in tax burden are offered by the government to people who meet specific criteria, like low-income homeowners or those who make an effort to use green energy. 
The actual amount of the tax credit can depend on your income, your qualifications for the tax credit, and the nature of the tax credit itself. [title] Compare tax credits to deductions and exemptions.