Key Takeaways
- Single filers under 65 must file a tax return if they earned $15,750 or more in 2025, and married couples filing jointly must file if they earned $31,500 or more if both spouses are under 65.
- If you earned $400 or more from self-employment, you need to file a return even if your total income is below the standard filing minimum.
- You won’t be penalized for not filing if you’re below the threshold, but you could miss out on a refund or credits.
- Dependents and minors must file if they earn $15,750 or more from work in 2025, or more than $1,350 in unearned income like interest or dividends.
- Filing even when you don’t have to is the only way to get back taxes your employer withheld, claim refundable credits, and create proof of income for loans or housing applications.
The amount of income required to file a tax return can vary due to many factors. Your age, filing status (single, married, etc.), and how you earn your money are the main things that will determine how much you need to earn before filing a tax return.
To prepare for tax season, you need to know the answer to this question: How much do you have to make to file taxes? Keep in mind that tax requirements can change every year. For instance, the amount you need to earn to file taxes usually changes before tax season to account for inflation and other factors. You can expect this amount to increase as inflation rises.
- What Is the Minimum Income Required to File Taxes?
- Do Social Security Benefits Count Toward the Minimum Income to File Taxes?
- Do I Have to File Taxes if I Make Less Than the Minimum?
- What Happens if I Earn Below the Minimum Income Threshold and Don’t File Taxes?
- Do Minors and Dependents Have to File Taxes?
- Why Should I File Taxes Even If I’m Not Required?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Minimum Income Required to File Taxes?
So, how much do you have to make to file taxes? Below are the filing situations that apply to most taxpayers and the gross income required to file for the 2025 tax year.
| If you were under 65 at the end of 2025 | If you were 65 or older at the end of 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $15,750 | $17,550 |
| Married and filing jointly | $31,500 if both spouses are under the age of 65. $33,100 if one spouse is under 65 and one is age 65 or older. | $34,700 if both spouses are 65 or older $33,100 if one spouse is under 65 |
| Head of household | $23,625 | $25,625 |
| Married but filing separately | $5 or more | $5 or more |
| Qualifying widow or widower | $31,500 | $33,100 |
Let’s look at the minimum amount to file taxes. You can find your earnings on the W-2 form you’ll receive from your employer around tax season.
Understanding your filing status
Filing statuses can be confusing. Here are the main filing statuses and what they mean:
- Single. Generally, you’re considered single if you’re unmarried on the last day of the year for which you file taxes. However, if you’re unmarried, you may also be able to file as ‘head of household.’
- Head of household. In most cases, if you’re unmarried, paid more than half the cost of upkeep on a home for the year, and have a qualifying person live in your home for more than half of the year, you may be able to file as ‘head of household.’
- Married. You’re considered married if you’re married and living together, married but living apart, or in a common-law marriage on the last day of the year you’re filing. You and your partner can decide whether to file taxes jointly or separately, depending on your situation.
- Widow/Widower. The primary criteria for filing as a widow or widower is that you were entitled to file a joint tax return with your spouse for the year they passed away. However, several other conditions must also be met.
Do Social Security Benefits Count Toward the Minimum Income to File Taxes?
Social Security benefits are taxable at the federal level because they count as income. However, tax rules regarding them depend on the amount you get from these benefits. For instance, if you have a combined income of $25,000 (including social security benefits), you may have to pay taxes on up to 50% of this. This amount increases the more you receive. Additionally, you may not have to pay state taxes on these benefits, depending on where you live.
Do I Have to File Taxes if I Make Less Than the Minimum?
Even if you don’t meet the minimum income to file taxes, there are many situations where you may still need to file.
How much do you have to make to file taxes if you earn less than the minimum taxable income from regular work? Generally, you’ll have to file if:
- You earned more than $400 in self-employment income
- You made over $108.28 from a church or church-related organization
- You have received money in a health savings account (HSA)
- You owe taxes on an HSA or Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
- You owe Medicare or Social Security tax on unreported tips, or on tips your employer hasn’t taken out of your pay
- You, your spouse, or your dependent received premium tax credit payments for health coverage obtained through the insurance marketplace
While these are the most common reasons to file despite making less than the income threshold for filing, there are additional situations where you may need to file taxes. Talking with a tax professional can help you ensure you’re doing everything correctly.
What Happens if I Earn Below the Minimum Income Threshold and Don’t File Taxes?
If you made less than the minimum income to file taxes, you won’t get in trouble with the IRS for not filing. Since you don’t owe any money, there’s no penalty for skipping a return.
That said, not filing could mean missing out on money that’s owed to you. If your employer took taxes out of your paycheck during the year, the only way to get that money back is to file a return. You could also qualify for tax credits that pay you even if you owe nothing in taxes. These credits can put real money back in your pocket, but you have to file to claim them.
The IRS has a three-year deadline on refunds, so if you wait too long, you could lose that money for good.
Do Minors and Dependents Have to File Taxes?
Even minors and dependents might need to file taxes. But who needs to file a tax return? It depends on how much money they make and where it comes from. In 2025, if they make the minimum taxable earnings of $15,750 from working, they must file.
Kids can also make money without working, like from a savings or investment account opened in their name. This is called unearned income. They’ll need to file taxes if they have more than $1,350 of unearned income.
Therefore, if you claim someone else as a dependent, they might still need to file taxes if they earn enough money. Remember, these numbers change yearly, so it’s always a good idea to check the latest rules or ask a professional for help.
Why Should I File Taxes Even If I’m Not Required?
Knowing when to file taxes is helpful, but sometimes, you might not have to file taxes based on how much you’ve earned. However, there are several reasons why you might want to file taxes even if you don’t have to.
Get money back
When you work, some of your pay goes to the government as taxes. Sometimes, the government takes too much. If you file taxes, you can get this extra money back. This is called a tax refund.
Child and Dependent Care Credit
Do you pay someone to care for your child or a family member who needs help? If so, you might get money back. This is called the Child and Dependent Care Credit. It helps families who need to pay for care so they can work or look for a job.
Earned Income Tax Credit
This is a special credit for people who work but make little money. If you qualify, you could get extra money back from the government. The amount you get depends on how much you earn and how many kids you have. Even if you don’t owe any taxes, you can still get this credit if you file.
Other refundable credits
There are more ways to get money back when you file taxes. For example, you might get money back if you’re in school (education credit) or you made energy-saving renovations (energy credit). These credits can lower the taxes you owe or give you money back.
Proof of income
When you file taxes, you get a record of how much money you made. This record is important. You might need it to rent a house, get a loan, or apply for help from the government. Having this proof can make these things easier.
Social Security benefits
When you work and pay taxes, you earn points for Social Security. Social Security is money you can get when you’re older and stop working. Points don’t determine the amount of money you’ll receive. Still, they can ensure you’re eligible for certain benefits like Medicare.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have to file taxes?
To find out if you have to file taxes, compare your total income for the year to the IRS filing threshold for your age and filing status. If your income is at or above that number, you need to file. The IRS also offers a free tool called the Interactive Tax Assistant that walks you through a few questions to give you a quick answer.
Are there any exceptions to the minimum income for filing taxes?
Yes. You may still need to file your tax return if you got help paying for health insurance through the Marketplace, since those premium tax credits need to be reconciled on a return. You also need to file if you took money out of a retirement account early and owe a penalty on it, or if you owe Social Security and Medicare tax on any tips you didn’t report.
What are the benefits of filing taxes even if my income is low?
Filing is the only way to claim a tax refund or receive refundable credits you’re owed. It also creates an official record of your earnings with the IRS, which builds your work history for future Social Security benefits. Lenders and landlords often ask for tax returns as proof of income, too.
How do the filing tax thresholds compare for individuals and married couples?
Married couples filing jointly have a threshold about twice as high as single filers because the standard deduction is larger for joint returns. Head of household filers fall in between. Married couples filing separately have the lowest threshold, which catches most people off guard.
Need help filing taxes?
In this article, you’ve learned a lot about filing taxes. Remember, how much money you need to make to file taxes depends on your age, whether you’re married, and what year you’re filing in. Even if you don’t have to file, it can be a good idea.
Filing taxes can be a stressful and confusing process. At Sun Loan, we have more than two decades of preparation experience and offer multiple ways to file. Whether you drop your tax information off at one of our branches, file with us in-person, or upload online, we’ll make sure that you get the biggest refund possible. To learn more and get started, click here.
