topic adding child's income in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

adding child's income

jreid4747 — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:11:12 GMT

I've a son living at home with me made 19K last year a while he was in the high school. What's the best way to file the tax? Should he be included with my tax file or do his own tax file?

Re: adding child's income

Bsch4477 — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 23:15:40 GMT

He files his own return taking care to check the box saying that someone else can claim him.

Re: adding child's income

NCperson — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 23:16:28 GMT

@jreid4747 - needs to go on his own tax file - DO NOT COMINGLE THE INCOME ON YOUR TAX RETURN!!!!

but you are still able to claim him as a dependent (assuming you provided over 50% of his financial support - rent, food, clothing, insurance, utilities, etc.)

Re: adding child's income

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 23:23:12 GMT

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/

Re: adding child's income

jreid4747 — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 23:41:59 GMT

Thank you. This is the answer I was hoping for.

Re: adding child's income

Mike9241 — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 03:07:44 GMT

if he had more than $2,200 in unearned income (interest, dividends, capital gains, etc and was under 18 on 12/31/2021 form 8615 will need to be included with his return.