How old do you have to be to file for income tax return?

Question

i'm 16 and i had a summer job making 8/hour and working 7/hours a day for 3 months can i file on my own without being a dependant on my parents and without being a dependant get a tax rebate

Answer 1

It doesn't matter your age, it's the income.  Also, you are a dependent, so you can't file as not a dependent.  I don't know if you'll get any money back (a return, not a rebate), because it depends on how much they take out throughout the year vs. how much tax on your income.

Answer 2

You can certainly file, although you probably didn't make quite enough ($5450 for 2007)  to be required to.  If anything was withheld for federal income tax, you could get it refunded if you file.

But it's very unlikely that at age 16, with an income for the year that's slightly over $4000, that you are NOT a dependent.  Are you living on your own and supporting yourself?  Support doesn't just include spending money, it's also things like your share of the household expenses.  To claim you are not a dependent, you'd have to show that you provided over half of your own support for the year, which on $4160 is pretty unlikely.  So you are most likely NOT eligible for a stimulus payment.

Answer 3

Your parent can and likely will claim you as a dependent. But since you have income over your exemption abount, you have to file your own tax return, too.

Make sure you file NOT claiming yourself. Read the forms carefully.