Medical disability

[Courbois3]

 Must I file taxes while unemployed? I am on medical disability with minimal snap food benefits which have been drastically reduced as a result of the disability. My health insurance was also vastly affected. Medicaid with Medicare now and my own health insurance? I now have to pay for an advantage plan is that right? And pay copays and rx costs. I am unemployed with a daughter who is a dependent and receives non court ordered minimal child support. Must I file taxes and what are possible credits available for my situation?

[DoninGA]

Do you receive any type of income?  Such as Unemployment Compensation from your state or Social Security Disability benefits?

If you receive no income of any kind and you do not have health insurance through one of the State Marketplace Exchanges or from healthcare.gov where you would have received a Form 1095-A, then you do not need to file a tax return.

[Courbois3]

I do receive medical disability benefits ($1834/mo)

Also Snap food benefits ($23/mo)

Medicare with medicaid with Kaiser permanente. Copays often.

[DashonnonH]

Tax credits are calculated the income earned or amount of tax you must pay (tax liability). If you do not have any earned income or income that produce tax liability, it's unlikely that you would not qualify for any tax credits. 

[Courbois3]

I would NOT qualify for any tax credits including my daughter who I am primary care giver with her father declaring her on his taxes though.

[DashonnonH · Accepted solution]

It depends on if you or your employer paid the disability insurance premiums that you are receiving the $1834/mo from.

If you paid the entire premium, the disability payments are not taxable. If your employer paid, then the payments are taxable. If the payments were shared, then the payment are partially taxable. 

Please see link below for additional information

https://www.irs.gov/faqs/interest-dividends-other-types-of-income/life-insurance-disability-insuranc...

[Courbois3]

Being that I have no employer and am unemployed that answers my question. 
So in conclusion, do I have to file taxes this year at all to simply claim medical disability ss benefits of the $1834 + Snap Benefits + Medicare with Medicaid with Kaiser Permanente?

[DashonnonH]

"I would NOT qualify for any tax credits including my daughter who I am primary care giver with her father declaring her on his taxes though."

There are two types of credits that can be claimed on your tax return for dependents.

Refundable credits- can be claimed even if you do not have any taxes to pay.

--Earned income credit requires earned income 

--Additional child tax credit requires you to claim a dependent

--If you have post secondary education expenses, you may be able to claim the refundable portion of the American Opportunity education credit. 

Nonrefundable credits-- are used to offset taxes owed. If you don't have any taxes to pay, you would not qualify for non-refundable credits.

--Child Tax Credit requires you have tax liability. If you do not have any taxes to pay, this credit does not calculate on the return. 

--Any nonrefundable credit will require tax liability. Some nonrefundable credits do carryover to future years and are used in the year you do have tax liability to pay. Each carryover may have different expiration dates if not used. 

[DashonnonH]

"I would NOT qualify for any tax credits including my daughter who I am primary care giver with her father declaring her on his taxes though."

[DashonnonH]

There are two types of credits that can be claimed on your tax return for dependents.

Refundable credits- can be claimed even if you do not have any taxes to pay.

--Earned income credit requires earned income 

--Additional child tax credit requires you to claim a dependent

--If you have post secondary education expenses, you may be able to claim the refundable portion of the American Opportunity education credit. 

Nonrefundable credits-- are used to offset taxes owed. If you don't have any taxes to pay, you would not qualify for non-refundable credits.

--Child Tax Credit requires you have tax liability. If you do not have any taxes to pay, this credit does not calculate on the return. 

--Any nonrefundable credit will require tax liability. Some nonrefundable credits do carryover to future years and are used in the year you do have tax liability to pay. Each carryover may have different expiration dates if not used.