The IRS sets a minimum income level before you must file a tax return

Whether you have to file taxes depends on how much money you made, your age, and what type of income it was. The IRS calls this the filing threshold. If your income falls below the threshold for your situation, you are not required to file — though you may want to anyway.

The threshold changes each year because the IRS adjusts it for inflation. For 2024, a single person under 65 must file if they earned $14,600 or more in wages. But if you are self-employed, the threshold is much lower: $400 in net profit from your business, regardless of age. If you are married filing jointly, both spouses' income combined must exceed $29,200 (if both are under 65).

These numbers shift annually, so the 2025 thresholds will be different. The IRS publishes updated thresholds each January on their website and in Publication 17, which is free to read.

Key Takeaways

  • For 2024, a single person under 65 must file if they earned $14,600 or more in W-2 wages; self-employed people must file if they made $400 or more in net profit.
  • The threshold is higher if you are 65 or older, married, or claimed as a dependent on someone else's return.
  • Thresholds increase each year with inflation, so you must check the current year's rules before deciding whether to file.
  • Even if you fall below the threshold, filing a return may get you a refund if taxes were withheld from your paychecks or you may have access to for refundable credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Different thresholds for different filing statuses

Your filing status changes your threshold. A married couple filing jointly has a higher threshold than two single filers because their combined income is considered together. For 2024, married filing jointly is $29,200 if both spouses are under 65; it rises to $30,550 if one spouse is 65 or older, and $31,900 if both are 65 or older.

Head of household filers (usually a single parent supporting a child) have a threshold of $21,900 for 2024 if under 65. Married filing separately has the lowest threshold: $14,600, the same as single filers, because the IRS treats each spouse's income separately.

may have access to widow or widower status uses the married filing jointly threshold for two years after a spouse's death, then drops to single thresholds.

Why age matters: the additional standard deduction

If you are 65 or older, your filing threshold is higher because you get an additional standard deduction. For 2024, a single filer 65 or older must file only if they earned $18,150 or more — $3,550 more than a younger single filer. This extra deduction recognizes that older workers often have lower incomes in retirement.

If you are blind, you also get an additional standard deduction, whether or not you are 65. The amount is the same as the age 65 deduction. If you are both 65 and blind, you get both additional deductions, which can raise your threshold significantly.

Self-employment income has its own rule

If you are self-employed — meaning you run your own business or work as a freelancer, contractor, or gig worker — the threshold is $400 in net profit, not gross revenue. Net profit is what you earn after subtracting business expenses. This $400 rule applies regardless of your age or filing status.

The reason the threshold is so low for self-employed people is that they must pay both the employee and employer portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes, called self-employment tax. Even if you owe no income tax, you may owe self-employment tax and must file to report it. If you had $500 in net profit from a side business, you would owe self-employment tax even if you had no other income.

If you have both W-2 wages and self-employment income, add them together to see if you exceed the threshold for your filing status. A person with $10,000 in W-2 wages and $500 in self-employment income must file because the combined income exceeds the threshold.

Dependents and investment income change the calculation

If someone else claims you as a dependent on their tax return, your threshold is lower. For 2024, a dependent with only W-2 wages must file if they earned more than $14,600 or if they had more than $1,150 in unearned income (such as interest or dividends). The threshold is the greater of these two amounts plus $450.

Investment income — interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income — also lowers your threshold. If you have no W-2 wages but earned $1,200 in interest and dividends, you must file even if you are not a dependent, because unearned income has its own threshold. For 2024, that threshold is $1,150 for most filers.

If you received distributions from a retirement account before age 59½, or if you sold an investment at a profit, you may need to file even if your total income is low, because the IRS wants to know about these transactions for tax purposes.

When filing below the threshold still makes sense

Even if your income is below the filing threshold, you should consider filing a return. The most common reason is to claim a refundable tax credit like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit. These credits can return money to you even if you owe no tax.

If your employer withheld federal income tax from your paychecks, filing a return is the only way to get that money back. A person earning $12,000 with $1,500 withheld would owe no tax but would receive a $1,500 refund by filing.

You may also need to file to claim education credits, the Child and Dependent Care Credit, or other benefits tied to filing status. Some states also require a return even if the federal threshold is not met. Check your state's rules separately.

How to find the current year's threshold

The IRS publishes updated thresholds each year in Publication 17, "Your Federal Income Tax," which is free and available on IRS.gov. You can also find a quick reference table on the IRS website under "Filing Requirements" or call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to ask about your specific situation.

Tax software and tax preparation websites also display the current threshold when you start a return, and they will ask you questions about your income to determine whether you must file. If you are unsure whether you meet the threshold, it is safer to file than to skip filing, especially if you had taxes withheld or think you might be owed a credit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to file if I made less than the threshold but had taxes withheld?

No, you are not required to file, but you should file to get your withheld taxes back as a refund. If $2,000 was withheld from your paychecks and you earned $12,000 total, you owe no tax but are may have access to to a $2,000 refund. Filing is the only way to claim it.

What counts as income for the filing threshold?

W-2 wages, self-employment income, interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income, and distributions from retirement accounts all count. Gifts, inheritances, and some government benefits (like Social Security, in certain cases) do not count toward the threshold. Check IRS Publication 17 if you are unsure about a specific type of income.

If I am claimed as a dependent, is my threshold different?

Yes. For 2024, a dependent with only W-2 wages must file if they earned more than $14,600, but a dependent with unearned income (interest, dividends) must file if they earned more than $1,150. The threshold is whichever is greater, plus $450.

Does the threshold change every year?

Yes. The IRS adjusts thresholds each January for inflation. The 2024 thresholds are different from 2023, and 2025 thresholds will be different again. Always check the current year before deciding whether to file.

What happens if I do not file when I should have?

If you owe tax and do not file, the IRS can assess penalties and interest. If you are owed a refund, there is no penalty, but you have only three years to claim it before the refund is forfeited. Filing on time protects you either way.