Dependent made almost $3000 - does she need to file separately?

[ph593756]

I have a dependent (18 yo) who made almost $3000 in various after school and summer jobs.  Does she need to file a separate 1040 EZ?

[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/

[ph593756]

Just a follow-up question, for this same dependent, there were no federal taxes withheld on any of their w-2's I know we would not get any federal refund, but should we file anyway?

[xmasbaby0]

If no federal or state tax was withheld there is no benefit to filing a tax return except for giving your child some practice in filling out a tax return.

[VolvoGirl]

Yes it would be good to practice filling out the forms.  Actually by hand.  Here is the 1040 and schedules 1-3.  But she probably won't need the schedules.  

Here is the IRS 2021 Form 1040
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040.pdf

And 2021 Instructions
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf

2021 Tax and EIC Tables
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040tt.pdf

Sch 1 : https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040s1.pdf
Sch 2 : https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040s2.pdf
Sch 3 : https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040s3.pdf