Can a parent or grandparent sign & e-file a minor child's tax return? What specific notation is required?

You can absolutely e-file a tax return for a minor! I'm a tax preparer and deal with this situation frequently. For e-filing, when you reach the signature portion, the parent or guardian simply types their name in the signature field followed by "Parent of [minor's name]" or "Guardian of [minor's name]." The IRS accepts this electronic signature for minors who cannot legally sign their own returns. Just make sure your sister is authorized to sign - which as his parent, she definitely is. Grandparents can also sign if they're legal guardians. No need to mail in a paper return unless there are other complications with the return. The notation in the signature field is sufficient documentation for the IRS's requirements when e-filing.

I had the EXACT same question last year with my 15-year-old son's first job! I ended up using https://taxr.ai to review all the documents and confirm that yes, I could sign as his parent for e-filing. The system analyzed his W-2 and told me exactly what to write in the signature section to make it valid. The tool also double-checked that we were filing correctly since minors with investment income have different rules than those with just job income. Saved me a ton of guesswork and actually found an education credit I almost missed!

Just wanted to follow up - I tried https://taxr.ai with my daughter's return situation and it was actually more helpful than I expected. I uploaded her W-2 and some 1099-MISC forms from her babysitting clients who actually gave her tax forms. The system immediately clarified that I could sign as "Parent of [daughter's name]" but also flagged that her babysitting income might need to be reported differently than her W-2 job. It walked me through exactly how to handle the mixed income types and showed me which forms were needed. Not something I couldn't have figured out eventually but definitely saved me time digging through IRS publications. Plus I'm more confident everything's correct now.

I struggled with getting through to the IRS about my grandson's tax return signature issue last year. After waiting on hold for hours across multiple days, I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 30 minutes instead of the 3+ hours I had been waiting before. The agent confirmed that as his legal guardian (I have custody), I could sign his return with "Guardian of [his name]" and e-file it. They also walked me through some additional forms I needed since our situation was a bit complicated with custody issues. Completely changed my perspective on dealing with the IRS - thought I'd share since your situation sounds straightforward but sometimes these things get complicated!

I need to publicly eat my words here. After my skeptical comment yesterday, I was desperate to resolve my refund issue before filing this year's taxes. I tried the Claimyr service at https://claimyr.com and it actually worked exactly as described. Got a text about 40 minutes after signing up that they had an IRS agent on the line, and I was connected immediately. The agent was able to sort out the issue with my prior year return that had been holding everything up for months. For what it's worth, the agent also confirmed that parents can sign and e-file for minors by adding "parent of [child's name]" to the signature. Sorry for being so cynical before - just been burned by too many "solutions" that don't work.

As someone who's been preparing taxes for family members for years, I've filed for several of my minor nieces and nephews. One additional thing to note: if your nephew has any investment income (like savings account interest or stocks in his name), there are different rules that might apply called the "Kiddie Tax" rules. But for a straightforward W-2 job, your sister can definitely sign as "Parent of [nephew's name]" and e-file. If using software like TurboTax, there will be a specific question about who is signing for the minor, and the software guides you through it.

Slightly off topic but make sure you're checking if your nephew should be filing at all. The standard deduction for single filers is $12,950 for 2022, so with only $6,400 in income, he's under the requirement to file if it's only W-2 wages. But he should STILL file to get his withholding back!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works at a tax preparation office. We handle minor tax returns regularly and the process is exactly as described - parent or legal guardian signs with "Parent of [child's name]" or "Guardian of [child's name]" for e-filing. One thing I always remind parents: make sure to keep a copy of the return and any supporting documents. Even though your nephew is a minor, this is still HIS tax return and he'll need these records if he ever gets audited or needs to reference his filing history for things like financial aid applications when he goes to college. Also, since this is his first job, it's a great opportunity to teach him about taxes! Have him sit with you while you prepare it so he understands the process. Many of our clients wish they'd learned this stuff earlier.