Hi, guys. Just wondering, if I was not in the states for the whole year 2019 and all I received was interest income. Would I need to file a U.S. tax return? Thank you! :)

[JamesG1]

If you received enough interest income, you may be required to file a Federal 1040.

Filing requirements are found at IRS publication 17 pages 5-7.

If you are a US citizen, your gross income includes all income you receive in the form of money, goods, property and services that is not exempt from tax.  It also includes income from sources outside the US. 

The amount of the gross income is more important than the kind of income such as interest or wages.

Filing requirements for most taxpayers can be found at Table 1-1 at the top of page 6.

As an example, a Single taxpayer under the age of 65 must file if the gross income is at least $12,200.

[chinaren-ding]

Thank you JamesG1! 🙂

Just a follow up question. You said "If you received enough interest income, you may be required to file a Federal 1040." Does it mean if the income is over $12,200 for single filers? Since my interest is only $16, I think it should be safe to say I don't need to file? 🙂

Thanks again!

Best