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QLaFarge
Returning Member

Must one file even if owing zero to federal or state?

Our 28-year-old daughter did not work in 2022, but attended a community college here (while living with my wife and I).  We pay all her living expenses and claim her as a dependent.  A form 1098-T from the college shows that she received more grants and/or scholarship aid than it shows expenses, so TurboTax seemed to "suggest" (?) at that point that she should file her own tax return to account for this "income."  The software never mentioned this again, not even in final review, so I went ahead and filed mine and my wife's MFJ (with our daughter as a dependent. 

I also ran an individual return on our daughter, which shows that she will owe nothing to either federal or state, because that "income" for 2022 does not exceed the standard deduction, which I have yet to file, if necessary or advisable. Should I still file an individual return for her like TurboTax recommended at the earlier stage?  Wouldn't our daughter's income have been included in our tax burden for our MFJ return anyway?  .  I'm happy to file the extra return for our daughter, but TurboTax kinda left me wondering about this.  

Dan

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1 Reply
MonikaK1
Expert Alumni

Must one file even if owing zero to federal or state?

Depending on the amount of the excess scholarship income and any other income she receives, you might not be able to claim your 28-year-old child as a dependent.

 

Claiming a child as a dependent generally requires that they live with you for more than half the year, they don't provide more than half of their own financial support, and are under the age of 19, or under 24 if a full-time student. 

 

Adult children can be claimed as Other Dependents but will have to meet the gross income test unless they are totally and permanently disabled. Gross income is the total of a taxpayer's unearned and earned income. If their gross income was $4,400 or more, you can't claim them as a dependent unless they are disabled. 

 

If her income doesn't exceed the filing threshold, then she isn't required to file unless she has $400 or more of net profit from self-employment. She may wish to file her own return for financial aid purposes. If she qualifies as your dependent, she would need to indicate that on her separate return. 

 

The income of your adult child is not reportable on your tax return regardless of whether she is your dependent.

 

Please see this tax tips article for more information on claiming dependents.

 

Please see this tax tips article for more information regarding who is required to file a return.

 

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