Am I Required to File Taxes with Minimal Income Under $300?
Hey all, I'm in a weird situation and not sure if I even need to file taxes this year. I had two very short-term jobs last year that probably totaled less than $300 in income. I've received W-2 forms from both employers, but I'm questioning if I'm even required to file with such minimal earnings. Some additional context - I was living in Nevada when I worked these brief jobs, but I've since relocated to Washington state. I don't have my W-2s with me right now (they're packed away somewhere from the move), so I can't give exact figures. Just trying to figure out if there's a minimum income threshold before you're required to file. Any guidance would be super appreciated!
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Savannah Weiner
You're right to check this! The IRS does have minimum filing thresholds. For 2025 filing season (2024 tax year), a single filer under 65 doesn't need to file if they earned less than $13,850. If you made less than $300 total, you're well below that threshold. However, there are two important considerations: First, if you had any federal taxes withheld from those paychecks (check your W-2s when you find them), you might want to file anyway to get that money refunded. Second, some states have different requirements - Nevada has no state income tax, but Washington also doesn't, so you likely don't need to worry about state filing either.
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Levi Parker
•Quick question - what if OP had other income sources besides those W-2 jobs? Like unemployment or investment income? Would that change things?
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Savannah Weiner
•Great question! Yes, other income sources absolutely change the calculation. If you received unemployment benefits, those are taxable and count toward your total income. Same with most investment income, self-employment income over $400, or certain types of unearned income. For investment income specifically, there are special rules for dependents with unearned income that might require filing even with very low amounts. If you're claimed as a dependent on someone else's return, the thresholds are different too.
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Libby Hassan
I went through something similar last year and found taxr.ai super helpful. I had like 4 small jobs and wasn't sure if I needed to file. I uploaded my documents to https://taxr.ai and it analyzed everything and gave me a clear answer right away. Saved me from digging through IRS publications trying to figure it out myself.
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Hunter Hampton
•How does this actually work? Do you just upload your W-2s and it tells you if you need to file? Is it secure with sensitive tax docs?
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Sofia Peña
•I'm kinda skeptical of tax tools... how accurate is it? Like what if it tells you don't need to file but the IRS says different later?
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Libby Hassan
•It's pretty straightforward - you just snap photos or upload PDFs of your tax documents, and it analyzes them to determine your filing requirements. It looks at all income sources and applies the current IRS rules to your specific situation. Yes, it's completely secure. They use bank-level encryption for all document handling and don't store your sensitive info any longer than necessary. I was initially hesitant too, but they explain their security measures clearly on the site.
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Sofia Peña
So I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment. I had a bunch of small gigs last year plus some crypto trading I wasn't sure about. It analyzed everything and showed me I was actually under the threshold for federal filing but needed to file a state return because of local requirements. It even flagged that I had tax withholding I could claim back! Super clear interface and took like 5 minutes total. Definitely better than guessing.
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Aaron Boston
For anyone struggling to reach the IRS to ask filing questions - I literally wasted 3 days trying to get through their phone lines. Eventually used https://claimyr.com and got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They basically hold your place in the phone queue and call you when an agent is available. The agent confirmed that with under $300 in W-2 income, I didn't need to file unless I wanted to claim withholding.
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Sophia Carter
•Wait, how does this actually work? Does it just dial for you or something? Seems weird the IRS would allow this.
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Chloe Zhang
•Sounds like a scam tbh. Why would I pay someone to call the IRS for me when I can just keep trying for free?
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Aaron Boston
•It's not dialing for you - they use a system that navigates the IRS phone tree and stays on hold so you don't have to. When they reach a live agent, they connect the call to your phone. The IRS doesn't care how you get connected, they just answer calls in the order received. It's definitely not a scam. After spending literal hours on hold over multiple days and getting disconnected three times, I was desperate. The time I saved was totally worth it. But obviously it's your choice - if you have unlimited time to stay on hold, then by all means do it yourself.
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Chloe Zhang
I take back what I said about Claimyr. After getting disconnected for the 4th time while on hold with the IRS for 2+ hours, I gave in and tried it. Got connected to an actual IRS person in 35 minutes while I just went about my day. Agent confirmed that with my minimal income I didn't need to file, but should file to get my withholding back. They answered all my questions about some side gig income too. Honestly shocked at how well it worked and wish I hadn't wasted an entire week trying to call myself.
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Brandon Parker
Just a quick heads up - even if you don't legally NEED to file, sometimes it's beneficial anyway. Not only to get withholding back like others mentioned, but also because some tax credits are refundable, meaning you could get money even if you don't owe taxes. The Earned Income Credit might apply depending on your situation.
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Adriana Cohn
•Are there any downsides to filing when you don't have to? Like does it trigger any extra scrutiny or anything?
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Brandon Parker
•There are really no downsides to filing when not required. It doesn't trigger extra scrutiny or increase your audit risk. The IRS actually appreciates voluntary compliance. Filing an unnecessary return might be a slight inconvenience, but many tax software options are free for simple returns with low income. Plus, getting in the habit of filing annually helps you understand the process better for when you do have more complex tax situations in the future.
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Jace Caspullo
Quick q - I'm in a similar boat but I also had like $200 in crypto gains. Does that change anything about needing to file?
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Savannah Weiner
•Yes, that changes things! Any amount of capital gains (including crypto) technically requires filing, regardless of how small the amount. The IRS is particularly focused on cryptocurrency transactions. Even $200 in crypto gains should be reported.
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