My minor children sold their 4-H Market animals at the local fair, They received a 1099MISC form. Do they file their own taxes at 11 & 13, & claim expenses?

[jerry2000 · Accepted solution]

Yes, they have to file their own tax returns.

[TaxGuyBill]

Be aware the 4-H projects are usually treated differently than regular 'farming' income.  It is usually reported as 'other income' and not as a business.  This is one of the rare exceptions to 'other income' that you CAN report your NET income (after expenses).  However, you may need to manually attach a list of income and expenses and file by mail.
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[tvoss98]

I know this is an old thread, but I felt the need to reply for those who stumble on this later.

Your child would only need to file a report if they earned over the minimum income amount for the year.

The minimum income amount depends on your filing status and age. In 2023, for example, the minimum for Single filing status if under age 65 is $13,850. If your income is below that threshold, you generally do not need to file a federal tax return.

So To answer your question, unless your kids sold their animals for more than $13,850, or had another income in that year causing them to exceed the $13,850 threshold.  Then they do not need to file taxes.

[AmeliesUncle]

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@tvoss98 wrote:

In 2023, for example, the minimum for Single filing status if under age 65 is $13,850. 

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Not for a dependent.  This is considered as unearned income, and if they don't have any earned income, the filing threshold is only $1,250 for 2023.

[peach368]

There are some exceptions, but personally, I would file a return for them.  It is an easy return if that is all they have and they might get an ego boost seeing they are doing an adult thing.  It can be a learning experience for them, showing the return to them and allowing them to review and approve.