![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/tax-filing-requirements.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nFiling status requirements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are five filing statuses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Single<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Married Filing Jointly<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Married Filing Separately<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Qualifying Surviving Spouse<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Head of Household<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Read on to learn more about each filing status and determine who has to file taxes. Be sure to also review the gross income thresholds below. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Single income tax filing requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You meet the filing requirements for Single status if, on the last day of the year, both of these apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You\u2019re unmarried or legally separated from your spouse under a divorce or separate maintenance decree.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You don\u2019t qualify to file as Head of Household or Qualifying Surviving Spouse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You might also be Single if you were widowed before Jan. 1, and didn\u2019t remarry during the tax year. However, you might be able to lower your tax if you qualify to file as either:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Head of Household<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Qualifying Surviving Spouse with a dependent child<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>
File with H&R Block to get your max refund<\/h3>
\nFile online<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nFile with a tax pro<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nMarried Filing Jointly income tax filing requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re considered married if, on the last day of the year, both of these applied:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You\u2019re legally married.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You\u2019re not legally separated under a divorce or separate maintenance decree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
A married couple can file two ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- On one federal return using Married Filing Jointly status, or,\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- On two different federal returns using Married Filing Separately status<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If your spouse dies during the year, both you and your spouse are considered married for that year. If you don\u2019t remarry during the year, you can file a joint return or separate returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you do remarry in the same year your spouse died, you must do both of these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- File a joint return or separate returns with your new spouse.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- File a Married Filing Separately return for your deceased spouse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Married Filing Separately income tax filing requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A married couple can file either a joint return or separate returns. However, a joint return often results in lower federal income tax. If you file Married Filing Separately, you must file a return if you have more than $5 in income for the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you file separate returns, the tax rates are usually higher. Plus, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limits certain deductions and credits you can receive if you file separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qualifying Surviving Spouse income tax filing requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You meet the filing requirements for the Qualifying Surviving Spouse filing status if all of these apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You qualified to file a joint return for the year your spouse died. It doesn\u2019t matter if you actually filed a joint return.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your spouse died in either of the two tax years immediately before the current tax year and you haven\u2019t remarried.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You can claim one of these relatives as a dependent on your federal return, excluding foster children:\n
- \n
- Son<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Daughter<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Stepson<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Stepdaughter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You paid more than half the cost of maintaining your home for the year. This must have been the home of your child or stepchild for the entire year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Head of Household income tax filing requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To meet the tax filing requirements for the Head of Household filing status, these must be true:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You were unmarried or considered unmarried on the last day of the year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You paid more than half the cost of maintaining your home for the year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A qualifying person lived with you in the home for more than half the year, excluding temporary absences. However, if the qualifying person is your dependent parent, they don\u2019t have to live with you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Married but considered unmarried for tax purposes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To be considered unmarried for income tax purposes, all of these must apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You file a separate return from your spouse.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You provided more than half the cost of maintaining your home for the entire year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your home was the main home for more than half the year for one of these people:
- Son or stepson<\/li><\/ul>
- Daughter or stepdaughter<\/li><\/ul>\n
- \n
- Eligible foster child (i.e. a child legally placed in your home by a court or agency)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You can claim the qualifying person as your dependent. However, this doesn\u2019t apply if you can\u2019t claim the dependent because the noncustodial parent is claiming the child.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your spouse didn\u2019t live in the home during the last six months of the year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
By filing taxes as Head of Household, you might be able to claim credits and deductions not available to Married Filing Separately filers. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Child and Dependent Care Credit<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Education credits<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Student Loan Interest Deduction<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2025 tax filing requirements for most people<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re required to file a return for 2025 if you have a certain amount of gross income. Gross income filingrequirements for each filing status are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Single Filing Status:\n
- \n
- $15,750 if under age 65<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- $17,750 if age 65 or older<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Married Filing Jointly:\n
- \n
- $31,500 if both spouses under age 65<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- $33,100 if one spouse under age 65 and one age 65 or older<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- $34,700 if both spouses age 65 or older<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Married Filing Separately — $5 for all ages<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Head of Household:\n
- \n
- $23,625 if under age 65<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- $25,625 if age 65 or older<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Qualifying Surviving Spouse with dependent child:\n
- \n
- $31,500 if under age 65<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- $33,100 if age 65 or older<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
For each taxpayer who is blind, add these additional amounts to the standard deduction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- $1,950 (Single and Head of Household)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- $1,550 (Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, and Qualifying Surviving Spouse)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2024 federal tax filing requirements for children and other dependents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If your parent or someone else can claim you as a dependent, federal tax filing requirements depend on your:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Gross income<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Earned income<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Unearned income<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You need to file a return if you\u2019re a:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Single dependent under age 65, not blind, and any of these apply:\n
- \n
- Your unearned income was more than $1,300.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income was more than $14,600.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was more than the larger of:\n
- \n
- $1,300<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income up to $14,150 plus $450<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Single dependent either age 65 or older, or under age 65 and blind, and any of these apply:\n
- \n
- Your unearned income was more than $3,250.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income was more than $16,550.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was more than the larger of:\n
- \n
- $3,250<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income up to $14,150 plus $2,400<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Single dependent age 65 or older, blind, and any of these apply:\n
- \n
- Your unearned income was more than $5,200.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income was more than $18,500.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was more than the larger of:\n
- \n
- $5,200<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income up to $14,150 plus $4,350<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Married dependent under age 65, not blind, and any of these apply:\n
- \n
- Your unearned income was more than $1,300.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income was more than $14,600<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was more than the larger of:\n
- \n
- $1,300<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income (up to $14,150) plus $450<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was at least $5 and your spouse files a separate return and itemizes deductions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Married dependent either age 65 or older, or under age 65 and blind, and any of these apply:\n
- \n
- Your unearned income was more than $2,850.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income was more than $16,150<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was more than the larger of:\n
- \n
- $2,850<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income (up to $14,150) plus $2,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was at least $5 and your spouse files a separate return and itemizes deductions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Married dependent age 65 or older and blind, and any of these apply:\n
- \n
- Your unearned income was more than $4,400.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income was more than $17,700.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was more than the larger of:\n
- \n
- $4,400<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your earned income (up to $14,150) plus $3,550<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Your gross income was at least $5 and your spouse files a separate return and itemizes deductions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Additional tax filing information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are some special rules around who has to file taxes that go beyond the filing status, gross income, and age guidelines mentioned above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have a filing requirement if any of these conditions apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- You owe any special taxes, including any of these:\n
- \n
- Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Additional tax on a qualified plan, including an IRA, or other tax-favored account. However, if you\u2019re filing only because you owe this tax, you can instead file Tax Form 5329 by itself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Household employment tax. However, if you\u2019re filing only because you owe this tax, you can instead file Schedule H by itself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Social Security and Medicare tax on either of these:\n
- \n
- Tips you didn\u2019t report to your employer<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Wages you received from an employer who didn\u2019t withhold these taxes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Repayment of first-time homebuyer credit<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Write-in taxes, including uncollected Social Security, Medicare, or railroad retirement tax on these:\n
- \n
- Tips you reported to your employer<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Group term life insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Additional taxes on health savings accounts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Recapture taxes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You (or your spouse, if filing jointly) received health saving account (HSA), Archer Medical Savings Account (MSA), or Medicare Advantage MSA distributions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You had net earnings from self-employment of at least $400.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Advance payments of the premium tax credit were made for you, your spouse, or a dependent who enrolled in coverage through a marketplace. You (or whoever enrolled you) should have received Form 1095-A <\/a>showing the amount of the advance payments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You had wages of $108.28 or more from a church or qualified church-controlled organization that is exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re due a tax refund, you don\u2019t have to worry about paying a penalty for filing a late return after the\u00a0tax deadline<\/a>. However, generally if you don\u2019t file a return to claim your refund within three years of your return\u2019s due date, you won\u2019t get your refund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Get help filing your taxes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now you should know who is required to file taxes. If you need more help, lean on H&R Block. Whether you choose to\u00a0file with a tax pro<\/a>\u00a0or file with\u00a0H&R Block Online<\/a>, you can rest assured that we\u2019ll get you the biggest refund possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s true, not everyone has to file an individual income tax return. If you weren\u2019t aware that scenario was a possibility, you may be wondering \u201cwho is required to file a tax return?\u201d Tax filing requirements usually depend on three things: Filing status requirements There are five filing statuses: Read on to learn more about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":573,"featured_media":67590,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-filing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"
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- Write-in taxes, including uncollected Social Security, Medicare, or railroad retirement tax on these:\n
- You owe any special taxes, including any of these:\n
- Married dependent under age 65, not blind, and any of these apply:\n
- Single dependent under age 65, not blind, and any of these apply:\n
- Child and Dependent Care Credit<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Daughter or stepdaughter<\/li><\/ul>\n
- Son or stepson<\/li><\/ul>