Comments on: How Much Money Do You Have to Make to File Taxes?

By: Madison

Madison — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:33:39 +0000

Yolanda,
Assuming you are single, yes, you’ll need to file this year.

By: Madison

Madison — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:32:17 +0000

Amy,
It sounds like you made over $42k between the two of you, so you will need to file. You will both need to report all of your income (from both of your jobs and the gambling winnings).

As far as married filing separate, it’s rare that a couple will owe less tax filing separate rather than jointly. In order to figure out which way is better, you’d have to run it both ways.

By: JACQUELINE

JACQUELINE — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:43:40 +0000

THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS AUDITED THEN ALL I HAD TO DO IS PROVIDE THE COURT DOCUMENTS AND A COPY OF YOUR LAST 2 RETURNS SHOWING WHICH YEAR I FILED WITH THE CHILD AND THE YEAR I DID NOT.

By: amy armstead

amy armstead — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:24:18 +0000

My husband made 33,347.00 & I only worked for 3 months from sept. to dec. making 3,535.00. I also had 5,200.00 in gambling winnings & received 2 W2G’s. Does he have to report my income? Should we file married filing separately? I’m not quite sure how we should do this. Can he just report my winnings & not my job income? I’m so confused!

By: Big-D

Big-D — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:56:55 +0000

For those of you asking about children and deductions, etc. You have to stick to the divorce degree unless both of you in writing determine you want to do something else. Never married, or divorces, but have a child that I claim.

What I did, I agreed to pay half of the difference between my two refunds to her if I claim my son. So if my refund was $2k without him, and $6k with him, she gets and extra $2k check from me, and I get an extra $2k from uncle sam. No reason to not both benefit.

As for minimums, I just hope I never have to worry about hitting a minimum (or praying I don’t hit it) as that means I am getting so little income I will be really poor. (Note: I am in my late 30′s now).

By: Yolanda

Yolanda — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:29:47 +0000

im 20. i worked part time this year totalling up to about 12 thousand dollars. I never filed before. is this the first year i need to file?

By: david

david — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:40:36 +0000

I have court papers that say i get to claim my son on odd years,and my ex gets the even years. But she claimed him on my year. i haven’t filed yet, im still waiting on W-2′s. i plan on claiming him anyways because it is my year. what kind of problems am i looking at?

By: Madison

Madison — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:28:22 +0000

Hi Rob,

Yes, the IRS recently published the increases. I have updated the table above with the minimum income to file for 2011.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:13:11 +0000

Quoting: “The IRS has not yet released the minimum income to file taxes in 2011. Bookmark this page, and we’ll update it as soon as the numbers are released.”

–Have the numbers been released yet?

By: sheila

sheila — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:07:39 +0000

I have a small seasonal business operating thru summer hours only. I have 24 teens who put in around 12 hours a month. Is it ok to pay them in cash without reporting it or filling out paperwork on them. Thank you.

By: atok

atok — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:42:29 +0000

That’s what we do in the U.S. we have to make things complicated so companies like H&R Block, CPAs and lawyers can make money out of it. Like what our politicians always say, “It’s not that simple”.

By: kathryn

kathryn — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:37:58 +0000

I’m sure this is a stupid question- sorry!
My husband and his ex have 2 children.
She has never had a job, but for the past few years has been remarried, so always filed jointly with her husband. So she always claimed one of the children, and my husband claimed the other.

Last year she divorced her husband, and still has no job. (Lives off the government and child support)
Since she has no earned income, and won’t even be filing taxes, shouldn’t my husband be able to claim both children now? And she is no longer eligible to receive any of the earned income credit for them?
We’re just trying to figure this out.
Thanks

By: Madison

Madison — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:25:02 +0000

Joshua,

Yes, you are over the minimum income to file taxes for self employed, so you’ll need to file a tax return for 2010.

By: Madison

Madison — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:23:32 +0000

Haleym, If your stepmother claimed you, you'll need to review these requirements: When Do Kids Need to File Taxes?

By: Haleym

Haleym — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 04:16:52 +0000

Ok so if I make under 3,000 dollars do I still need to file taxes or not and because my step mother claimed me dependent even though I’m 19 live on my own and barely worked.