topic Tax filing in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Tax filing

JPDUNH — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:15:21 GMT

How much can my teenage daughter earn before she has to file

taxes

Re: Tax filing

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 17:56:34 GMT

It might not be a matter of whether she "has" to file unless she worked as an independent contractor. She might WANT to file to seek a refund if tax was withheld from W-2 pay.

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: Tax filing

JPDUNH — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 18:00:49 GMT

Is there a certain income amount when the are required to file?

Re: Tax filing

Hal_Al — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 18:06:42 GMT

Q. Is there a certain income amount when they are required to file?

A. Yes.

If your dependent child is under age 19 (or under 24 if a full time student), he or she must file a tax return for 2021 if he had any of the following:

Total income (wages, salaries, taxable scholarship etc.) of more than $12,550 (2021).
Unearned income (interest, dividends, capital gains, unemployment, taxable portion of 529 distribution) of more than $1100.
Unearned income over $350 and gross income of more than $1100
Household employee income (e.g. baby sitting, lawn mowing) over $2300 ($12,550 if under age 18)
Other self employment income over $432, including money on a form 1099-NEC

Even if he had less, he is allowed to file if he needs to get back income tax withholding. He cannot get back social security or Medicare tax withholding.

In TurboTax, he indicates that somebody else can claim him as a dependent, at the personal information section.

You do not report his/her income on your return. If it has to be reported, at all, it goes on his own return.

If his only income is from interest and dividends, Alaska PFD or capital gains distributions shown on a 1099-DIV, there is a provision for entering it on your return, using form 8814. Enter at Less common income / Child's income.
But, it is usually best for him to file a separate return, as qualified dividends and capital gain distributions could be taxed at a higher rate on the parent's return.