dependent daughter received SSA-1099 income (survivor's benefits). She earned $4,721 from a summer job. She is a full-time student. Should she file a tax return?

[xmasbaby0]

If any tax was withheld from her paychecks and she has anything in box 2 or box 17, she can file to seek a refund.   If she files a tax return, she needs to include the SSA1099 on her own return.   You can still claim her as a dependent if she otherwise meets the criteria to be claimed.   And on her own return she must say in MY INFO that she can be claimed as someone else's dependent.

Who has to file?

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Do-I-Need-to-File-a-Tax-Return%3F

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

You can claim a child, relative, friend, or fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2024 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

• They're related to you.
• They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
• They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
• They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
• They're under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).
• No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children.
• They lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).
• They didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year.

[VolvoGirl]

Social Security doesn’t count.  If their  income is W2 and under 14,600 they do not have to file a return except to get back any withholding taken out.  If they got a 1099NEC or paid cash they have to file it as self employment no matter how small.

Filing requirements for a dependent
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/children-dependents/help/do-i-need-to-file-my-own-taxes-if-i-m-a-d...

 
If they do file a return, be sure on their return they check the box that says they can be claimed on someone else’s return

[xmasbaby0]

MY DEPENDENT HAD A JOB

If your dependent has a W-2 for his after-school job, summer job, etc. you do not include the information on your own return. You can still claim your child as a dependent on your own return.  He/she can file his own return for a refund of some of his withheld wages (he won’t get back anything for Social Security or Medicare), but MUST indicate on it that he can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return.  (Supervise this closely or prepare it for him!)

If your dependent’s earnings were over $400 and were reported on a 1099Misc or 1099NEC then he must file a return and pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.

You might also want to use free software from the IRS Free File versions:

https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/