Hi goteamromo,
Thanks for reaching out to Intuit's TurboTax Ask the Expert Event. It is great that your 18 year old college student child is working part-time during school. Please do not add their income to your joint return. Your child would prepare their own tax return but not claim themselves since you are claiming them on your tax return and providing over 50% of their support. There are income limits on if your child is required to file a tax return but sometimes it is beneficial to file a tax return to get a refund of any federal or state taxes withheld. Here is some information that will help determine if your child needs to file their own tax return.
- Unlike other taxpayers, the IRS treats your dependent child differently depending on whether they earn money from work or through investments. Dependent children who have earned income of more than $12,950 of income in 2022 typically need to file a personal income tax return and might owe tax. Earned income applies to wages and salaries your child receives as a result of providing services to an employer or from self-employment, even if only through a part-time job.
However, even if your child earns less than $12,950 during 2022, it may be a good idea to file a tax return for them. They could be eligible for a tax refund if they had income tax withheld form their paycheck. Regardless of the amount of income your dependent child earns, their standard deduction is typically different than yours. It is limited by the larger of $1,150 or their earned income plus $400, with the maximum equal to the standard deduction for single taxpayers which is $12,950 for 2022.
Please let us know if you need additional information.
AnthonyC_CPA
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