College student with minimal income

[drmortonski]

Hello,

We have been including our son as a dependent.  He is in college out of state.  He was 18 last year, and earned some income, approx. $1,900 tutoring high school students.  

Should we continue to show him as a dependent?  

Should we file with his income on our return, or should he file his own taxes?  Please advise.

[MinhT1 · Accepted solution]

You can claim your son as a dependent if he did not provide for more than half of his own support, which is the case as he earned only $1,900.

You do not report his income on your return.

If he was an independent tutor (not an employee), he is required to file a tax return. He will to pay self-employment tax. He must indicate on his return that he can be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

[NCperson]

his income goes on his tax return; your income goes on your tax return.  Never the 'twain shall meet. 

Since he is in college, it is to your advantage to claim him as a dependent.  Follow the questions in TT as it will confirm that you can.  Basically, as long as he is under 24 and a full time student and you provide over 50% of his support, you can continue to claim him. 

The 1098T form creates the tax credits that you can take advantage of (your child cannot).   As long as box 1 exceeds Box 5, the form goes on your tax return and your son doesn't have enough income to need to file a tax return (assuming there are no withholdings). 

If Box 5 exceeds Box 1, then that is income to your son.  But basically as long as that net number and the $1300 of income you mentioned is below $12,200 he has no need to file 

[drmortonski]

Thank you.  He got a 1099, so he is self-employed, correct?

[NCperson]

yes so he'll need to file because of the self-employment tax