Hello folks, I am trying to understand who needs to file a tax return and while the requirements are pretty clear, I have trouble understanding the following:Your gross income was more than the larger of:$1,100Your earned income up to $12,200 plus $350.So is this saying that you have to file if your gross income is greater than $1100 or $12550?

TurboTax

File with experts
File your taxes
Experts at your fingertips

An expert helps with your taxes, or does them for you
TurboTax Expert Full Service

TurboTax Expert Assist

TurboTax Self-Employed
Prior year taxes
File myself
File myself
Do it yourself

We'll guide you step-by-step
TurboTax Do It Yourself

TurboTax Self-Employed

TurboTax Desktop
TurboTax Free

Activate your product

Prior year taxes
Business
Business
Business taxes

Get your T2 corporate return done right, your way
TurboTax Business

TurboTax Business Desktop
Tax situations
Tax situations
Tax situations

Find extra guidance for your big life moves
For investors

For 25 and younger

For self-employed

For new to Canada

For life changes
Resources
Resources
Resources

Explore tax tools, get tips, and read reviews
Personal income tax calculator

RRSP savings calculator

Learning hub

TurboTax support (FAQ)

TurboTax community
Pricing

Level 5

Solved

Does a child/dependent need to file a return?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
January 29, 2022
11 replies
66 views

Hello folks, I am trying to understand who needs to file a tax return and while the requirements are pretty clear, I have trouble understanding the following:

Your gross income was more than the larger of:
- $1,100
- Your earned income up to $12,200 plus $350.

So is this saying that you have to file if your gross income is greater than $1100 or $12550?

Not A Product Question

Best answer by TaxLearner

All dependent children who earn more than $12,550 of income must file taxes. Your child/dependent should always file a tax return to get a refund.

The $1,000 refers to the first $1,100 of unearned income that is not taxed. That is the child's standard deduction.

xmasbaby0

Level 15

Please explain what kind of income your child had for 2021. Did your child have investment income? If so --how much? Or did your child have a job and earn some income?

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

az148Author

Level 5

Part-time job with income ~12k

xmasbaby0

Level 15

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/