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

So I'm a part-time college student and I only work like 20 hours a week at a coffee shop. Last year I made about $8,700 total, and they take out taxes from each paycheck. I know I'm not making a lot of money, but I really need every dollar I can get for tuition and books. My roommate said that because I make under $10,000, I should get back all the federal taxes they took out when I file my return. Is this actually true? I've never really understood how the tax system works, and I just want to know if I can expect to get everything back or if I should be budgeting differently. Also, I was claimed as a dependent on my parents' taxes last year, but this year they aren't claiming me. Does that make any difference in whether I'll get all my taxes back?

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19 comments

PaulineW

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.

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PaulineW

For your tax situation, it actually does make a difference whether you're claimed as a dependent or not. If you're filing as independent (not being claimed by your parents), you get the full standard deduction of $14,600 for 2024. If you were being claimed as a dependent, the standard deduction would be limited to either $1,350 or your earned income plus $450 (whichever is greater), up to the standard deduction amount. In your case with $8,700 income, your standard deduction would be $9,150 if claimed as a dependent, which is still above your income so you'd likely get all federal income tax back either way.

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Annabel Kimball

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!

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Chris Elmeda

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.

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Charity Cohan

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Charity Cohan

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Shelby Bauman

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Quinn Herbert

California has a standard deduction of $5,202 for single filers for 2024 (what you'll file in 2025). Since your income of $8,700 is above that, you might owe some state tax, though it would be very minimal. However, California also has a low-income tax exemption credit that might eliminate your remaining tax. If your adjusted gross income is less than $21,007, you may qualify for this credit. So there's a good chance you'll get all or most of your state withholding back too, but it's not guaranteed like the federal return is.

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Camila Castillo

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!

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