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 $1,050
- Earned income more than $12,000
- 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
Related Resources
Tax preparers can have various designation and specialties. Learn how different types of tax preparers at H&R Block can help you in person or virtually.
Learn how to deduct student loan interest with H&R Block. Get information about qualified education expenses and see if a student loan tax deduction applies to you.
Virtual tax preparations let you complete your taxes online from the comfort of your home. Find out how easy remote tax preparations can be at H&R Block.
What does it mean to be an enrolled agent? Learn more about the roles and requirements of enrolled agent (EA) tax preparers at H&R Block.
