How do I file tuition money on my taxes?

Will I need to file taxes this year?

• I don't know if I'm suppose to file taxes this year. I have two jobs. One is a work study job and another is a retail job. I work part time both places. For my work study just I get about $200 bi-weekly...and for my retail job I only get about $100 bi-weekly. I haven't been working at my retail job though. I work there on Sundays and that's usually it. I have student loans and tuition payments that I make payments to every month. I'm not sure if I have to file taxes and I want to know before I end up owing the government a ridiculous amount of money. I don't know who to turn to. I tried calling some local accounting offices, but they always want to charge me fees just to tell me if I have to or not. I can't afford to pay them the fees that they're asking for. So if you can help that would be great! Thanks you! I don't know if this is relevant or not but I am currently (and attending school) in California, US.

• Answer:

  See IRS Pub 501 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf for information on filing requirements. If you can be claimed as a dependent you will need to file based upon your income as it's more than $5,700. If you can't be claimed as a dependent you don't need to file as your income is less than $9,350. If any amounts appear in box 2 of your W-2s you will have to file to have that refunded to you. And you can pick up the $400 Making Work Pay credit if you can't be claimed as a dependent and are either a US citizen or permanent resident. If you are a foreign student you must file since your income is over the $3,650 filing requirement for a non-resident alien. You do need to file a CA return as your income is above the CA filing requirement amount. You can get more information from the FTB website at http://www.ftb.ca.gov/