Do i have to file a separate tax return for a dependent child that made under $13K?

[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/

[TomD8]

You can find the dependents' filing threshold amounts for tax year 2023 on pages 4 & 5 of this IRS reference:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf

As @xmasbaby0 indicated, even if your dependent is not required to file a tax return, he must do so in order to obtain any refund he might be due.

Also, these filing thresholds apply only to federal tax returns.  If your state has an income tax, its filing threshold amounts may differ.