I’m under 19, should I file a tax return?

Most tax benefits—including the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and stimulus payments—are only available to individuals who cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person's tax return. Most individuals under the age of 19 are someone else's dependent (typically their parent or guardian)—unless they can prove that they pay for over half of their living expenses (including housing, food, medical/dental, and personal expenses).
Even if you can be claimed on another person's tax return, you may still benefit from filing a tax return if you had a job and taxes were withheld from your paycheck. When filing a return to claim any unused withholdings, make sure to indicate you can be claimed on someone else's tax return.

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