If I make under 10k a year will I get all my taxed money back when filing in 2025?

Yes, for the most part you should get back all of your federal income tax withholding if your income is under $10,000. The standard deduction for a single filer for tax year 2024 (which you'll file in 2025) is $14,600, so your income of $8,700 is well below that threshold. Since your income is less than the standard deduction, you effectively have zero taxable income for federal purposes, meaning you should get back any federal income tax that was withheld from your paychecks. However, keep in mind you won't get back any FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare), which is 7.65% of your income. Those aren't refundable regardless of how much you make.

I was in almost exactly the same situation last year! I was making about $9,200 at my campus job and was super confused about taxes. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my W-2 and it explained exactly what I would get back. Seriously made things so much clearer than just googling random tax stuff. It confirmed I'd get all my federal income tax back but showed me the FICA stuff that wouldn't be returned (which I didn't realize before). Also helped me understand some education credits I qualified for that actually gave me MORE money back than what was withheld!

Just wanted to update - I decided to try taxr.ai after asking about it and wow, it was super helpful! Confirmed I'll get back all $632 in federal taxes that were withheld from my paychecks since I'll make under $10k this year. It also showed me I might qualify for the Earned Income Credit even though I'm a student, which I had no idea about! The best part was it explained everything in normal human language instead of confusing tax jargon. Definitely recommend checking it out if you're in a similar situation.

If you're expecting a refund, be prepared for it to potentially take a while. Last year I waited almost 3 months for my refund to come through! I finally got fed up and used https://claimyr.com to actually get through to the IRS (crazy, I know). You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Before using it I spent hours trying to call the IRS myself and kept getting disconnected. Claimyr got me through to an actual human who confirmed my refund was just stuck in processing and they were able to release it right away.

Ok I feel stupid for doubting this but I finally tried Claimyr when my refund was delayed this year and IT ACTUALLY WORKED. I got through to a real IRS person in like 30 minutes after spending WEEKS trying to call them myself. Turns out they needed to verify my identity because I moved last year, and nobody had bothered to tell me! The agent took care of it while I was on the phone and my refund was deposited a week later. I would've been waiting for months if I hadn't been able to talk to someone. Just wanted to come back and say I was wrong to be so skeptical!

Don't forget to check your state taxes too! Everyone here is talking about federal taxes, but depending on which state you live in, the rules might be different for state income tax. Some states have much lower standard deductions than the federal government.

Make sure you file a return even if you don't have to! Some people think if they make under the filing requirement they shouldn't file, but you NEED to file to get your withholding back. The IRS doesn't automatically send refunds if you don't file.

Just want to add something that might help - even though you'll likely get your federal income tax back, don't forget to keep track of all your education expenses! Tuition, required books, supplies, even some equipment for classes can qualify for education credits. The American Opportunity Tax Credit can give you up to $2,500 back (even if you had $0 withheld), and it's partially refundable, meaning you can get money back even beyond what was taken out of your paychecks. Since you're a college student, this could be a game-changer for your financial situation. Also, make sure to file your return as soon as you get your W-2 in January. The sooner you file, the sooner you'll get your refund, which sounds like it would really help with your tuition and book expenses!

One thing that might help you budget better is understanding exactly what gets taken out of your paycheck. You mentioned they "take out taxes" but there are actually several different things being withheld: 1. Federal income tax (this is what you'll get back since you're under the standard deduction) 2. FICA taxes - Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) - these you won't get back 3. Possibly state income tax depending on your state 4. Maybe state disability insurance in some states So when you look at your paystub, make sure you're only counting the "Federal Income Tax" or "Fed Tax" line when calculating what you might get back. The FICA stuff (sometimes shown as "OASDI" and "Medicare") totals about 7.65% of your gross pay and that's gone forever, even for low-income earners. This way you can set realistic expectations for your refund and budget accordingly for next year's tuition and books!

Great question! I was in a similar situation when I was in college. You should definitely get back most or all of your federal income tax withholding since your income is well below the standard deduction threshold. One thing I'd recommend is keeping really good records of all your education expenses throughout the year - tuition payments, required textbooks, lab fees, etc. These can qualify you for education credits that could actually get you more money back than what was withheld from your paychecks. Also, since you mentioned your parents aren't claiming you as a dependent this year, make sure you file your own return! Don't assume they're handling it. You'll need to file to get any refund, and filing as an independent gives you access to the full standard deduction. The timing matters too - file as soon as you get your W-2 in January so you can get your refund money in time to help with spring semester expenses. Every dollar counts when you're paying for school!