Does my child need to file taxes if he or she earns income — Is filing a separate child income tax return necessary?
Regarding a child income tax return, how much he or she earned and from what activity will dictate and determine: does my child need to file taxes? Don’t worry — we’ll help you determine what you and your child need to do.
If your child or dependent is under age 65, he or she must file a return if one of these applies to his or her income:
- Unearned income more than $1,000
- Earned income more than $6,350
- Gross income more than the larger of these:
- $2,100
- Earned income (up to $5,950) plus $350
If your child or dependent is age 65 or older or blind, the filing requirement will be the above amounts plus these amounts:
- $1,550 if filing single
- $1,250 if one of these:
- Married filing jointly
- Married filing separately
- Qualifying widow(er)
Even if your dependent isn’t required to file a return, he or she must file to receive a refund due from wage withholding.
Earned income is usually:
- Wages
- Salaries
- Professional fees
- Other compensation for personal services
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