Do I have to file a return if I only work a summer job?

As summer is coming to an end, many taxpayers are getting back to school. If you are a student that worked a summer job, you may think you do not have to file a tax return for 2018. When determining whether you need to file a return, you don’t include tax-exempt income. In 2017 for example, if you are under age 65 and single, you must file a tax return if you earn $10,400 or more. However, if you did not make that much money during your summer job you should still consider filing a return. Typically most summer jobs will pay you as a W-2 employee. This means that there are taxes being withheld from your paycheck. If your income is low enough, it is necessary to file a return to get a refund of any income tax withheld. By law, a return must be filed within three years to get its refund. Otherwise, the money becomes property of the U. S. Government.