If you are claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, you still may be required to file your own return. To determine whether or not you need to file, consider the following definitions and how they relate to you:

Unearned Income – is any taxable interest, ordinary dividends, and capital gains distributions you may have received during the year. Additionally, taxable social security benefits, unemployment compensation, annuities, pensions, and trust fund distributions are considered unearned income.

Earned Income – is any wages, salaries, tips, or professional fees received for services provided, as well as any taxable scholarship or fellowship grants.

Gross Income – is the sum of both earned and unearned income.

You are required to file a federal tax return, even as a dependent, if you meet any of the following conditions:

• You have unearned income over $1,000
• You have earned income over $6,200
• Your gross income was higher than either $1,000 or your earned income (of up to $5,850) plus $350

Any child under the 18, with certain circumstances extending to older dependents, unearned income greater than $2,000 is subject to taxation at the parent’s rate, provided it is higher than the child’s.