I am 17 years old and I worked all of 2006. I worked three jobs and now I want to know can I get my taxes filed. I heard since I am a minor, I legally can not file my own taxes but I could get my parent to do it for me. The Main question I am asking is since my mother still claims me on her taxes, can she file for the work I have done so I can get my money back?
2007-01-01 15:54:54 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Taxes ➔ United States
No it's not illegal to file your own taxes. I've worked in very upscale accounting firms and some individuals haven't ever worked and they are minors (some kids are 9 years old) but we need to file their returns each year because of the income they make from dividends, trust funds, and estates.
You can file your taxes but you will need your w-2's. And if I were you don't go to a place like H & R block to file since I think it's the largest rip off paying for a service when one can easily file their own indivdual return (unless you have deductions, m-schedules, and etc. which is uncommon for an average American).
If you need help with filing you can go to the IRS and they can actually help you. I had a friend that worked in one of their centers and was fully capable of not only answering any question pertaining to a return.
2007-01-01 16:01:49 · answer #1 · answered by mailjunkie123 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Minors can file their own returns. There are circumstances where parents can show the child's income on the parent's return, but you're not in that situation.
You should file your own return, showing your income. If you made $5150 or less, you'll get back all the money that was withheld. If you made more than that, they'll keep some.
Since your mom claims you, you will check the box on your return that says you're a dependent. On her return, she'll just claim you as she has been doing in the past - she doesn't have to do anything special to say that you're filing also. Since you're 17 now though, she won't get the child tax credit for you any more, but can still claim you as a dependent as long as you don't provide over half of your own support, and live with her over 6 months of the year.
You can almost certainly use the 1040EZ form to file your return. It's pretty simple, so you can probably do it yourself.
Feel free to email if you have any questions.
2007-01-02 02:11:53 · answer #2 · answered by Judy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any tax professional worth his/her salt will try to make you file three different ways to see which one is best:
#1, your parents claim you and your income
#2, your parents claim you but you file your own return with a special reduction in exemption that you're allowed
#3, your parents file seperately and don't claim you, and you file your own return and claim yourself
Number 2 usually gives the highest total refunds because you're actually being claimed twice (legally), and because your own income won't yeild a very high tax liability anyway.
(Every situation is different, that's why you should try it all three ways.)
You are disqualified from claiming yourself if you qualify as a dependant for someone else whether they claim you or not, and that may rule out option #3 right away. The rules and worksheet for the partial exemption for dependants are on the back of 1040-EZ.
If your parents don't know about this, maybe you should "advise" them and charge them a "fee". Tell them if you can save them money by using option #2, you get half of what you save them.
2007-01-01 21:07:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
When my daughter turned 17 I found out I couldn't use her as a dependent. We were expecting over 1000 dollars more, but because she had turned 17 we didn't get it. You can file and should file singular. You'll get more money back. But she can't use you. You can do it on line like H&R block.com (google it for the exact website) The best part about that is you can do it singular and see how much you get back then back up and let her use you and your income on her taxes and see how much she gets back. Then try hers with out you and see the difference. Then do the one where you get the most money. It doesn't cost anything to see. If you want them to submit it to the IRS then it'll cost you 40 bucks or something, I can't remember. But then you already have the answer, you can write it down on a 1040EZ and come up with the same answer and send it in for free. I use it to check and see if my 1040A is right.
2007-01-01 16:11:49 · answer #4 · answered by Becky F 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You file yourself and there is a place that ask if you can be claimed on someone elses taxes. You of course would check yes..You would get more back this way.
2007-01-01 15:58:31 · answer #5 · answered by ruth4526 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are able to file, can't remember how.
2007-01-01 15:56:15 · answer #6 · answered by wondering... 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ya
2007-01-01 15:56:36 · answer #7 · answered by newfirepurple 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋