topic How do you start a return for a Minor when the parent hasn't filed taxes? in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

How do you start a return for a Minor when the parent hasn't filed taxes?

rustyspark — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:32:32 GMT

I need to file taxes for a minor child and an adult chlid, however i have not entered the primary taxes yet. How do i start the child taxes on their own?

Re: How do you start a return for a Minor when the parent hasn't filed taxes?

xmasbaby0 — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 14:20:17 GMT

Do you have a "kiddie tax" situation? Does your child have interest income? Is that why you are asking about your own return?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/small-business-processes/2021-kiddie-tax/L4UfEmyxW_US_en_US

Or did your dependent child have income from an after school or summer job, etc.?

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 from boxes 2 or 17 (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/

Re: How do you start a return for a Minor when the parent hasn't filed taxes?

xmasbaby0 — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 14:22:39 GMT

When you use online TurboTax software you get one return per fee.

Each return needs its own email, account and user ID. If you use the same account and user ID for a second return, the second one overwrites the first return and it is lost forever.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/how-do-i-start-another-return-in-turbotax-online/00/25596

https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/file-your-own-taxes/

If your child will have a very simple return you could try using the Free Edition for the child.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/free-edition.jsp