How Much Do You Have To Make To File Taxes for 2025?
Written by
Rudri Bhatt Patel, CFHC™
Edited by
Elizabeth Constantineau, CFHC™
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Your tax liability depends on your filing status, your age and income. For the 2025 tax year, if you’re under 65, single and make at least $15,750, you will be responsible for paying taxes. If you’re married and filing separately, and you make $5, you will have to pay taxes.
Understanding these rules can make tax time simpler and may even save you from filling out forms you don’t need to. Keep reading to find out the minimum income you need to have to file taxes this year.
IRS Income Thresholds: How Much You Have To Make To File 2025 Taxes
The IRS provides specific figures to help taxpayers understand their filing obligations. Here’s a brief overview for the 2025 tax year, showcasing the minimum income required to file taxes based on your filing status and age:
| Filing Status | Age at the End of 2025 | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Single | Under 65 | $15,750 |
| Single | Over 65 | $17,750 |
| Head of household | Under 65 | $23,625 |
| Head of household | Over 65 | $25,625 |
| Married filing jointly | Both spouses under 65 | $31,500 |
| Married filing jointly | Both spouses over 65 | $34,700 |
| Married filing jointly | One spouse over 65 | $33,100 |
| Married filing separately | Any age | $5 |
| Qualifying surviving spouse | Under 65 | $31,500 |
| Qualifying surviving spouse | Over 65 | $33,100 |
How Filing Status and Age Affect Your Filing Requirement
Your filing requirement is based on the following:
- Your gross income
- Your age
- Your filing status
Those who are over 65 essentially receive an extra standard deduction. This means they can make more money before having to file taxes.
Each type of filing status has a different standard deduction. Depending on your filing status — single, married filing jointly, married filing separately or head of household — you need to earn a certain income that will trigger a filing requirement.
Special Rules: Times You Must File Even If Your Income Is Low
It may be surprising to learn, but sometimes you must file taxes even if your income is low. Here are a few examples:
- Self-employment income: You had $400 or more in self-employment income.
- Social Security or Medicare taxes: You must file if your Social Security or Medicare taxes weren’t properly withheld.
- Premium tax credits: You received premium tax credits for health insurance that you bought through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
- Church wages: If you received $108.28 or more from a church or qualified church-controlled organization, you must file taxes, despite the amount being low.
- Owe special taxes: You must file an alternative minimum tax (AMT), household employment taxes or additional tax on retirement plans or health savings accounts (HSAs).
Do Dependents Have Different Filing Requirements?
Dependents are typically shielded from another person’s tax return. The threshold to file will be much lower than that of an independent taxpayer. Whether a dependent has to file taxes depends on earned income, unearned income or a combination of both.
When a Dependent Needs To File
For single taxpayers under age 65, the IRS generally requires a return if any of the following income thresholds are met.
| Type of Income | Income Threshold for 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Earned income | $15,750 | Typically means wages, tips and salaries |
| Unearned income | $1,350 | Dividends, capital gains and interest |
| Gross income | The larger of $1,350 or earned income plus $450 | Total income from earned and unearned income |
| Self-employment | $400 | Gig or freelance income |
Should You File Even If You Don’t Have To?
If there’s a chance that you may be owed money from the government, the only way to know is to file a tax return, even if it’s not technically required.
For starters, if state or federal income taxes were deducted from your paycheck throughout the year, you may be entitled to a refund by filing. The passage of The Big Beautiful Bill may also entitle you to some credits you didn’t think about.
Another benefit of filing is that it creates a paper trail of your income. A filed tax return can be helpful when applying for loans and mortgages in the future.
Situations Where Filing Can Get You Money Back
- You qualify for refundable credits like the earned income tax credit (EITC) or the child tax credit.
- You want to claim education or health-related credits.
- You adopted a child.
- You bought health insurance via the ACA Marketplace.
What About State Tax Filing Requirements?
Whether you have to file state taxes depends on where you live and your income. For example, nine states do not have state income taxes. These states include the following:
- Alaska
- Florida
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
- Wyoming
Other states, like Arizona and Nebraska, may base their filings on your federal gross income. In these states, you’re more than likely going to have to file state taxes.
States like California have lower thresholds that trigger a requirement to file. So even though your gross income is not enough to file a federal return, you may have to file a state return.
Check with your state’s requirements to determine if you have to file a return.
Do I Need To File? Quick Checklist
- Did you earn $400 or more from freelancing, gig work or self-employment? You must file.
- Did your gross income meet or exceed your standard deduction — based on your filing status and age? You must file.
- Did you receive health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace and get advanced Premium tax credits? You must file to reconcile the credit.
- Did you have Social Security or Medicare tax that wasn’t withheld properly? You must file.
- Are you claimed — or can be claimed as a dependent? You may need to file.
- Were any federal or state taxes withheld from your pay? You probably should file to get your refund.
- Do you qualify for refundable credits — EITC, child tax credit, education credits, health credits? You probably should file to claim them.
Final Take
Understanding your tax responsibilities starts with knowing if you need to file based on your income in 2025. You should check your income type, filing thresholds and gross income.
Even if you’re not obligated to file a return, considering your options or seeking advice from a tax expert can help maximize your benefits and meet any tax requirements efficiently. This approach ensures you’re fully leveraging potential financial advantages.
FAQ
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about filing taxes.- How much do you have to make to file taxes in 2025?
- Here's an overview for the 2025 tax year, showcasing the minimum income required to file taxes based on your filing status and age:
- Single (under 65): $15,750
- Single (65 or older): $17,750
- Head of household (under 65): $23,625
- Head of household (65 or older): $25,625
- Married filing jointly (both spouses under 65): $31,500
- Married filing jointly (one spouse 65 or older): $33,100
- Married filing jointly (both spouses 65 or older): $34,700
- Married filing separately (any age): $5
- Qualifying surviving spouse (under 65): $31,500
- Qualifying surviving spouse (65 or older): $33,100
- Here's an overview for the 2025 tax year, showcasing the minimum income required to file taxes based on your filing status and age:
- Do I need to file if I only made $5,000?
- If you're a regular filer, you likely don't meet the income threshold to file. However, if any of the income was from self-employment — at least $400 — you would need to file.
- Do I need to file if I made under $400 from a 1099?
- No. You only need to file if you make $400 or more from self-employment income.
- Should I file if taxes were withheld?
- Even if you're not required to file, you should file. You may be entitled to a refund, and you may also qualify for refundable credits.
Information is accurate as of Jan. 9, 2026.
Our in-house research team and on-site financial experts work together to create content that’s accurate, impartial, and up to date. We fact-check every single statistic, quote and fact using trusted primary resources to make sure the information we provide is correct. You can learn more about GOBankingRates’ processes and standards in our editorial policy.
- IRS. "Check if you need to file a tax return."
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Guide to filing your taxes in 2024."
