If my husband start his job in November but didn’t get paid til the first of the year do we still have to file that tax return for last year. Or can we do without it

[VolvoGirl]

What year is on the W2?  Did he get a 2017 W2 or just a 2018 W2?

[Anonymous]

was there federal or state withholding?   was this your only income?  what was the amount in box 1? what state if any? and if state amount in box 16?

[Hal_Al · Accepted solution]

Simple answer: no. That income is not reportable until you file your 2019 tax return (in early 2020). Eve though it was earned in 2018, it is not reportable, since the income was not actually received.

This assumes he did not get a W-2 for tax year 2018.  It also assumes you and he had no other income for 2018.  The filing requirement for a married couple is $24,000 of total income.  This assumes that neither of you are claimed as a dependent by your parents or someone else.