I make less than 30k a year, why do I still owe the federal government $600 after the standard deduction?

[JenniferM]

How much you owe or receive as a refund is a function of your total tax liability in comparison to how much you had withheld from your paycheck over the year. How much you have withheld each paycheck is a function of your earnings and what you claim on your W-4.

If you owe money, it is due to not having enough withheld during the year to cover your tax liability. You can revisit your W-4 with your payroll department to adjust your withholding accordingly. 

Check out our W-4 calculator here: https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/w4/