Not being claimed as someone else's dependent does not make you exempt from paying tax. If you earned less than $14,600 then you will not owe any tax if you were a W-2 employee, but you can still file a tax return to seek a refund if there are any amounts in boxes 2 or 17 of your W-2. If you had any self-employment income of even $400, you are required to file a tax return and pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.