Does My Client Have to File?
Anthony sent his cousin Darnell over.
Darnell worked part-time at a grocery store all year. Made about $11,000. He was 24, renting a room, no kids. His employer withheld some taxes.
“Anthony said I don’t make enough to have to file,” Darnell said when he sat down. “He said I could just skip it this year.”
The preparer looked at him for a second.
“Anthony was half right,” she said. “You might not be required to file. But if you don’t, you’re going to leave money on the table. How much did they withhold from your paychecks?”
Darnell pulled out his W-2. Box 2 said $780.
“Yeah,” the preparer said, “you want to file.”
The first question you ask about any client is also one of the most important: does this person have to file a tax return? The second question — and this one trips up beginners constantly — is: should they file even if they don’t have to? Those are two completely different questions with two completely different answers.
This lesson is about the first question. Lesson 3 handles the second.
The IRS sets a minimum income threshold for every filing status. Earn less than that amount and you’re generally not required to file a federal return. Here are the 2025 thresholds:
| Filing Status | Must File If Gross Income Exceeds |
|---|---|
| Single (under 65) | $15,000 |
| Single (65 or older) | $17,000 |
| Married Filing Jointly (both under 65) | $30,000 |
| Married Filing Jointly (one spouse 65+) | $31,600 |
| Married Filing Jointly (both 65+) | $33,200 |
| Married Filing Separately | $5 — yes, five dollars |
| Head of Household (under 65) | $22,500 |
| Qualifying Surviving Spouse | $30,000 |
Darnell made $11,000 as a single filer under 65. That’s below the $15,000 threshold. Anthony was technically right — Darnell doesn’t have to file. But the preparer caught what Anthony missed: $780 was sitting with the IRS waiting to be claimed.
Look at that table again. Married Filing Separately has a $5 threshold. That’s not a typo. If your client is married and files separately, they must file a return if they earned even $5 of income — as long as their spouse itemizes deductions. This comes up more than you’d think with couples who are separated but not divorced, or with high-earning couples doing complex tax planning.
Here’s the rule that catches new preparers off guard constantly:
If your client had $400 or more in net self-employment income, they must file. Period. Regardless of any other income. Regardless of their filing status. Regardless of whether their total income is below any other threshold.
Rosa runs her lunch truck. If she only made $500 net profit this year and had zero other income, she still has to file. DeShawn painted one house for $450 cash and that was it. He still has to file. The self-employment threshold exists because self-employed people owe self-employment tax — the 15.3% FICA payment that employees split with their employer. The IRS wants that money no matter how small the profit.
Does Sam have to file?
Yes. Absolutely. His total income is $13,100 but his self-employment income alone is $1,100 — well above $400. He owes self-employment tax on that $1,100 and he must file a return with Schedule C and Schedule SE attached. The fact that his W-2 income keeps him under $15,000 doesn’t matter at all once self-employment enters the picture.
Beyond the income thresholds and the SE rule, several specific situations always trigger a filing requirement:
Marketplace health insurance with advance premium tax credits. If your client received subsidies through the Affordable Care Act marketplace to help pay their health insurance premiums, they must file a return to reconcile those credits. The IRS paid money on their behalf all year based on their estimated income. At filing time, the actual income gets compared to the estimate. If they earned more than expected, they may owe some back. If they earned less, they may get more. Either way — they must file Form 8962 and a return must be filed.
Household employees earning $2,700 or more. Nannies, housekeepers, home health aides who earn at least $2,700 from any one employer must have FICA withheld. The employer files Schedule H and the employee may have filing obligations depending on total income.
Receipt of an IRS notice to file. If the IRS sends a client a notice requesting a return and the client received it, they must respond regardless of income level.
When a new client sits down, run through this mentally before you touch any documents:
Step 1: What’s their filing status? Single, MFJ, MFS, HOH, or Qualifying Surviving Spouse? That determines which threshold applies.
Step 2: What’s their age? Are they 65 or older? The threshold is higher for older filers, which means some senior clients who think they have to file actually don’t — though they usually should anyway to capture their refund or credits.
Step 3: Any self-employment income? Even a little? Even cash jobs with no 1099? If net profit is $400 or more, they file regardless of everything else.
Step 4: Did they receive ACA marketplace credits? If yes, they file. No exceptions.
Step 5: Was anything withheld? Even if they don’t have to file, did an employer take federal tax out of their check? If yes, they probably want to file to get it back.
Gross Income — Total income before any deductions. This is what’s compared against the filing threshold.
Net Self-Employment Income — Business revenue minus deductible business expenses. The $400 SE threshold uses this number, not gross revenue.
Form 4868 — The extension request form. Gives more time to file, not more time to pay.
Refund Statute — The three-year window to claim a refund. Miss it and the money stays with the IRS permanently.