The income threshold depends on your age, filing status, and type of income
The amount you can earn without filing a federal tax return is set by the IRS and changes each year. For 2024, a single person under 65 can earn up to $14,600 in wages before filing becomes required. If you are 65 or older, the threshold is $16,550. These numbers shift annually based on inflation.
The threshold is different if you are married, self-employed, or have investment income. A married couple filing jointly where both are under 65 can earn up to $29,200 combined before filing is required. If one spouse is 65 or older, it rises to $30,750. If both are 65 or older, it reaches $32,300.
Self-employment income follows a separate rule: you must file if you had net self-employment income of $400 or more, regardless of your age or other income. This applies even if your total income is below the standard threshold.
Key Takeaways
- For 2024, single filers under 65 do not have to file if they earned $14,600 or less in wages; the threshold is higher if you are 65 or older or married.
- Self-employment income has its own rule: you must file if you made $400 or more from self-employment, even if you have no other income.
- These thresholds change each year, so you should check the current year's limits on the IRS website or with a tax preparer before deciding not to file.
- Filing even when not required can sometimes benefit you, because you may receive a refund or be able to claim credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit.
How filing status affects your threshold
Your filing status — single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, or may have access to widow(er) — determines which threshold applies to you. The IRS publishes a table each year showing the exact income limit for each status and age combination.
Head of household filers (usually single parents) have a higher threshold than single filers. For 2024, a head of household filer under 65 can earn up to $21,900 before filing is required. Married filing separately has the lowest threshold: $14,600 for those under 65, the same as single filers.
If you are unsure which status applies to you, the IRS website has a filing status tool. Your status depends on your marital status on December 31 of the tax year and whether you have dependents.
When you must file even if your income is below the threshold
Several situations require you to file a return even if your income falls below the threshold. If you had any federal income tax withheld from your paychecks, you may want to file to get a refund of that money. If you made estimated tax payments during the year, filing allows you to claim credit for those payments.
You must also file if you owe self-employment tax (because you had net self-employment income of $400 or more), if you had wages from a job where you did not pay Social Security or Medicare tax and your employer is asking you to file, or if you received certain types of income like farm income or rental income above certain amounts.
Additionally, if you are claimed as a dependent on someone else's return, the income threshold for you is lower. A dependent under 65 generally must file if they had more than $1,300 in unearned income (like interest or dividends) or more than $14,600 in earned income (wages) in 2024.
Investment and other types of income
Wages are not the only kind of income. If you earned money from investments, you may have to file even if your wages were below the threshold. Unearned income — interest, dividends, capital gains, and rental income — has its own filing requirement.
For 2024, you must file if you had more than $1,300 in unearned income, regardless of whether you had any wages. If you had both wages and unearned income, you add them together to see if you exceed the combined threshold for your filing status.
Certain types of income always require filing, no matter the amount. These include income from a business you operated, income from rental property, and gambling winnings. If you are unsure whether a particular type of income requires filing, the IRS website lists all income types that trigger a filing requirement.
Why you might want to file even if you do not have to
Filing a return when you are not required to can put money back in your pocket. If your employer withheld federal income tax from your paychecks, you will not get that refund unless you file. Many people who earn below the threshold have taxes withheld and are owed a refund.
You may also be able to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable credit that can result in a payment to you even if you owe no tax. To claim the EITC, you must file a return. Similarly, if you have dependents, you may be able to claim the Child Tax Credit or other credits that require filing.
Filing also creates a record with the IRS and Social Security. If you are self-employed or building a business, filing returns establishes your income history, which can be important if you later need to borrow money or apply for certain programs.
How to find the current year's threshold
The IRS updates filing thresholds each January for the previous tax year. You can find the current thresholds on the IRS website under "Filing Requirements" or by searching for "IRS filing threshold" plus the current year. The IRS also publishes Publication 17, which contains a detailed filing requirements table.
A tax preparer or accountant can tell you whether you need to file based on your specific situation. Many community organizations and libraries offer free tax preparation help during tax season, and they can answer questions about filing requirements at no cost.
If you are unsure, filing is always safer than not filing. The worst outcome is that you owe no tax and receive a refund. The risk of not filing when you should have is penalties and interest if the IRS later determines you were required to file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to file if I made less than $14,600 but had taxes withheld?
You are not required to file, but you should file to get a refund of the taxes that were withheld. The IRS will not send you that money unless you submit a return claiming it. Filing takes a few hours and can result in a refund of hundreds of dollars.
What if I am self-employed and made less than $400?
You do not have to file a federal return if your net self-employment income was less than $400. However, if you had other income (wages, for example) that pushed your total above the threshold for your filing status, you would still need to file.
Does the threshold change every year?
Yes, the IRS adjusts thresholds annually for inflation. The 2024 thresholds are higher than 2023. You should check the current year's threshold before deciding whether to file, because the amount that applied last year may not apply this year.
If I am claimed as a dependent, what is my filing threshold?
Dependents have a lower threshold. For 2024, a dependent must file if they had more than $1,300 in unearned income or more than $14,600 in earned income. Ask the person claiming you (usually a parent) or check the IRS website for the exact dependent threshold for the current year.
What happens if I do not file when I should have?
If the IRS determines you should have filed, you may owe penalties and interest on any tax owed, even if the amount is small. Filing late is better than not filing at all. If you realize you missed a year, you can file a late return, and the IRS may reduce or waive penalties if you have a reasonable reason for the delay.