This is a big question from college students – they are still being mostly supported by their parents but they are often earning money from their part time jobs as well.

If you make less than 6,100/yr you generally don’t have to file income taxes, or below 10,000 if your parents don’t claim you as a dependent.
You can file anyway though, because a certain amount of money is probably withheld from your paycheck to pay taxes, and if you don’t file for it, you don’t get it!
Be consistent with whether or not you are claimed as a dependent of your parents – they can only do that if they are paying at least ½ of your expenses, and if they claim you, you need that on your tax forms too.

What do I need to have to file taxes for the first time?

Forms you will receive in the mail:
- W-2 from your employer
- 1099-INT for bank interest from a savings account
Supporting information you will need to have on-hand/collect through out the year:
- Social Security numbers
- Receipts of your donations to charity