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May 20, 2021
Question

How do i file my child's taxes?

  • May 20, 2021
  • 2 replies
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Should i file my teenage child's taxes?

2 replies

Employee
May 20, 2021

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 may want to use this version of TT for that:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-free-file-program

**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.**
rjs
Employee
May 20, 2021

You can use the calculator at the following link on the IRS web site to see if your child is required to file a tax return. Remember that you are answering the questions as the child.


Do I Need to File a Tax Return?


If you do file a tax return for your child, you have to use a different TurboTax Online account. A TurboTax Online account can only be used for one tax return. You cannot prepare another tax return with the same account that you used for your own return.


See the following FAQ for instructions to start another tax return with a new account.


How do I start another return in TurboTax Online?


You should teach your teenager to file his or her own tax return (with supervision), instead of doing it yourself. They have to learn how to do it.