Help! Do you file taxes if you're poor? Should I even bother?

You should definitely file! Based on your income level (~$13,700 total), you're likely below the standard deduction amount ($13,850 for single filers for tax year 2024), which means you probably won't owe any federal income tax. The most important reason to file is to get back that $900 that was withheld from your paychecks. That's YOUR money the government is holding, and the only way to get it back is to file a tax return. Think of it as a forced savings account that you now get to withdraw from. Additionally, you might qualify for tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) which could mean even more money back in your pocket. The EITC is specifically designed to help lower-income workers.

I was in your exact situation last year! I made about $14k and wasn't sure if filing was worth the hassle. I decided to try https://taxr.ai after seeing it recommended on this sub and it was a game changer. I just uploaded pics of my W-2 and answered a few simple questions. The system instantly analyzed my situation and showed me I was getting back over $1000 in refunds! It found credits I didn't even know I qualified for. The whole process took maybe 15 minutes and I got my refund in less than 2 weeks. Seriously the easiest thing ever for someone who knows nothing about taxes.

Just wanted to update - I decided to try taxr.ai despite my initial skepticism and I'm honestly blown away. It found that I qualified for the Earned Income Credit which I had NO idea about! I was in a similar situation (made about $12k last year) and it's showing I'm getting back almost $1,400!! The interface was super simple and it explained everything in plain English. It even had recommendations for what to do differently next year to maximize my refund. I'm kicking myself for not filing the last two years when I was making even less. Definitely recommend for anyone who's confused about the whole process!

If you need help talking to the IRS about previous years or have questions they need to answer, good luck getting through on the phone! I spent WEEKS trying every day before I found https://claimyr.com through a post on here. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Basically they call and wait on hold for you, then call you when an actual IRS agent is on the line. I had questions about filing for the past two years (similar situation to yours) and needed to know if I'd be penalized. Got connected to an agent in about 45 minutes instead of the HOURS I was spending trying to get through myself.

I need to eat my words from earlier. After a week of failing to get through to the IRS myself (kept getting disconnected after 1+ hour waits), I broke down and tried Claimyr. Was super skeptical it would work but I got a call back in about 30 mins with an actual IRS agent on the line! The agent was able to confirm that I could still file returns for 2022 and 2023 to claim refunds I missed out on. Turns out I was owed over $2k from those years combined that I would have just left on the table. Sometimes it pays to be wrong - literally in this case! If you're in a similar boat as OP, definitely file for this year AND check if you should file for previous years too.

Just to add one more perspective - being "poor" is actually when you MOST need to file! The tax system has several credits specifically designed for low-income folks: - Earned Income Credit: up to $600 for someone with your income and no kids - Recovery Rebate Credit: if you missed any stimulus payments - Savers Credit: if you put ANYTHING in a retirement account Plus you get back all federal tax withheld if you're below the standard deduction. It's literally free money that people leave behind every year.

Dont listen to others here saying "definitely file" without knowing yr situation. Iff your only making 11k from regular job and 2k from gigs u might be better just staying off the radar. Gov doesnt care about small fish and filing might put u in system for audits.