Can I be 17 and file my taxes

[noodlebabes]

Can a 17 year old file their own taxes

[Carl]

Your age doesn't matter. If you have more than $12K of *EARNED* income or more than 1050 of *UN*earned income, you are required to file a tax return.

So even if not required because you earned less than $12K, if any taxes were withheld on your pay (box 2 of the W-2) then you should file in order to get those withheld taxes refunded to you. If you don't file, then you don't get your overpayment refunded to you.

[Carl]

One other note here. I have no doubt because of your age, that your parent's claim you as a dependent on their tax return. So when you are completing your tax return, you *MUST* select the option for "I can be claimed on someone else's return". As a 17 year old that can't possibly be providing more than half of your own support, you don't have a choice on this.

If you do not select that option and you e-file before your parents do, then your parents will not be able to e-file and all parties concerned will have a mess that will require you to amend your tax return, and will require your parents to print and mail their tax return.