Should I do my taxes for my first job? Benefits of filing even under $13k income?

You should absolutely file your taxes, even if you're under the filing threshold! Here's why: if your employer withheld any federal income tax from your paychecks (check your paystubs or W-2), you can only get that money back by filing a tax return. That could be hundreds of dollars back in your pocket. Also, you might qualify for education tax credits once you start college, like the American Opportunity Credit, which could give you up to $2,500. Even if you don't owe taxes, some of these credits are refundable, meaning you get money back even if you don't owe anything. Filing is also good practice - you'll need to do it most years of your adult life, so starting when it's simple helps you learn the process. The free tax software options make it pretty easy!

I was in your exact situation a few years ago and was totally lost! I ended up using https://taxr.ai to help me figure out what to do with my W-2 and whether I needed to file. It scans your tax documents and explains everything in simple language - like what those boxes on your W-2 actually mean and whether you're eligible for any refunds. The tool showed me that even though I was under the filing threshold, I was owed around $400 in federal tax refund that I would have missed if I hadn't filed. It also helped me understand which forms to fill out as a first-time filer.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that the previous commenter recommended. It seriously simplified everything! I uploaded my W-2, and it showed I was getting $275 back that I didn't know about. The explanation of each part of my tax forms was super helpful since I had no idea what half the boxes meant. What I liked most was that it explained WHY I was getting money back - turns out my employer had been withholding taxes like I'd be making that same amount all year, but since I only worked part-time, I was in a lower tax bracket. Definitely filing taxes from now on!

If you're expecting a refund but got frustrated trying to call the IRS with questions (like I did), check out https://claimyr.com - they get you through to an actual IRS agent instead of waiting on hold forever. I was trying to figure out if I needed to file as a dependent since I'm also a student working part-time. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I spent hours trying to get through to the IRS the normal way before finding this. Got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed I should file my own return even though my parents claim me as a dependent. Huge relief since tax season was almost over!

Ok I need to apologize and correct myself. After getting disconnected THREE TIMES trying to call the IRS myself about my student loan interest deduction, I gave in and tried Claimyr. Got connected to an IRS agent in 20 minutes after spending literally an entire afternoon trying on my own. The agent confirmed that yes, even as a student under the filing threshold, I should file to get my withholding back AND I learned I could claim the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit even with low income. That's potentially $1,000 I would have missed! Sometimes it's worth getting actual official answers instead of just guessing based on internet advice.

One thing nobody's mentioned - make sure you're thinking about the W-2 (the tax form you get AFTER working) not the W-4 (the form you fill out WHEN STARTING a job that tells your employer how much to withhold). I was confused about this my first time too! The W-4 is what you filled out when you started. The W-2 is what you'll get in January/February that shows how much you earned and how much tax was already taken out. That's the form you need for filing taxes.

Dont forget to check if your parents are claiming you as a dependent! If they are (and they probably should if they provide more than half your support), it affects how you file. You can still file and get your refund, but you'll need to indicate that someone else can claim you as a dependent.

Also consider that you might need to file state taxes even if you don't need to file federal! Each state has different rules and thresholds. Some states will give you a refund of state income taxes even if you're below the federal filing requirement.