Does a 16 year old have to file? I worked only made under 3000
I am 16 and worked a few months last year and I am getting nothing back my mom claims me
So is that unusual? Only made 3,000
Terry Says
So this is a bit different than the “Kiddie Tax” which has rules for taxing “unearned” income, such as dividends, earned by a child. You can find those rules for unearned income here.
But you actually EARNED this income, so this is what applies according to TurboTax:
Your relative can’t have a gross income of more than $4,300 in 2020 or 2021 and be claimed by you as a dependent.
So, yes, you can be claimed as a dependent on your Mom’s return.
Now, how is that income taxed?
Minors have to file taxes if their earned income is greater than $12,550 (increasing to $12,950 in 2022).
That frees you from having to file a tax return for your own earned income. But you might want to file to get any withholding back.
Generally parents do not add the child’s EARNED income to their own return, and if the child has low earned income the child is not required to file, except to get withholding returned. Probably not enough to matter here.
Please ask your Mom to use TurboTax or consult a tax preparer, in case special circumstances are involved here. These are the general rules.
