I filed a tax return for my son who earned less than $5000 and through TT he owes $140 and I just found out that he didn’t need to file at all because of his low income

[cmm277]

Why didn’t the TT form inform me not to file and why does he owe when my accountant told me he didn’t even need to file?

[rjs]

There must be something different between the information that TurboTax is working with and the information that your accountant is working with. (Or your accountant is just wrong.) It's possible that you entered something incorrectly in TurboTax, or that you omitted an important detail when you talked to your accountant. It's impossible to tell why the results are different without being able to see all the details on both sides, and perhaps to talk to your accountant. Show the TurboTax return to your accountant and ask him to show you what's wrong with it, or what's in it that you didn't tell him about.

[cmm277]

Even the IRS website says income under $10,000 doesn’t require a tax return.

[cmm277]

Even the IRS website says income under $10,000 doesn’t require a tax return.

[macuser_22]

It depend on the source of the income.    If all W-2 income that is almost correct - it is $12,000 not $10,000.  If self-employed income then if over $400 a tax return  is required  (not to pay income tax, but to pay the SE (medicare and social security) tax.  And if unearned income then other requirements.

2018 Filing requirements for dependents.

Single dependents— (Not  age 65 or older or blind)

You must file a return if any of the following apply.
1. Your unearned income was more than $1,050.
2. Your earned income was more than $12,000.
3. Your gross income was more than the larger of—
     a. $1,050, or
     b. Your earned income (up to $11,650) plus $350.
 
Or Dependent had net earnings from self-employment of at least $400. 

However, if any tax was withheld, then Dependent might want to file anyway to get a refund of the tax withheld.

Also, a person that CAN be a dependent cannot claim him/her self and must check the box that says that another taxpayer can claim them (whether or not that taxpayer actually claims him/her).

Note: your state filing requirements might be different than the federal.