I have a W2 form to input for our 17 year old son Jack. I dont see a way to add his W2. How do i input it on our return? Or do i have to fill out a separate return?

[TheresaD · Accepted solution]

You can not include a dependent child's earned income on your tax return. Your son can file his own tax return and receive a refund of the taxes withheld or balance owed. You can still claim your son as a dependent under the Qualifying Child rules. He must indicate on this tax return that he can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's return.

To be a Qualifying Child -

1. The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them.

2. The child must be (a) under age 19 at the end of the year, (b) under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student or (c) any age and permanently and totally disabled.

3. The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year. Temporary absences while away at college are considered living with you.

4. The child must not have provided more than half of his or her own support for the year.

5. If the child meets the rules to be a qualifying child of more than one person, you must be the person entitled to claim the child as a qualifying child.

6. The child must be a U.S. citizen or U.S., Canada or Mexico resident for some portion of the year.

7. The child must be younger than you unless disabled.

Here's a link to the IRS website for more information: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p929.pdf

I hope this helps! If you have any additional questions, please feel free to add a comment below!

[rjs]

You cannot put your son's W-2 on your tax return. His W-2 goes on his own tax return, if he files one. If his income is low enough, he may not be required to file (see below). But if income tax was withheld from his pay, he will probably want to file, even if he is not required to, to get a refund of the income tax that was withheld. (Only income tax can be refunded, not Social Security or Medicare taxes.) If he is not required to file, and does not file, his W-2 does not have to be reported anywhere.

For 2016, if your son is your dependent and he made more than $6,300, he is required to file a tax return. If his W-2 income was $6,300 or less, and he had no other income, he is not required to file.