Required to File

• If you meet certain conditions, you must file a federal income tax return even if your parents claimed you as a dependent. The guidelines to determine filing requirements are complicated, but in most instances, as of February 2011, if you have unearned income of over $950, or earned income of over $5700, you will have to file an income tax return if you are under 65 and not blind. If either of those criteria apply, the filing requirements are different.
  
  

Reasons to File

• Even if you are not required to file an income tax return, there are many reasons to do so. However, if you qualify as a dependent on your parents return, only one of these reasons is likely to apply. If you have a job and your employer has withheld income from you for federal taxes, you may want to file in order to receive a refund of that money if you do not have federal tax liability.
  
  

Personal Exemption Limitations

• A parent may claim you on his tax return if your situation meets several tests the IRS imposes. Generally, if you lived with your parents for over half of the year, they can claim you as a dependent. You cannot have provided over one half of your own support in order for them to claim you as well.
  
  

The Age Test

• A parent cannot claim you as a dependent if you are over 19 years of age, unless you are a student. A parent can claim a student as an exemption until he is 24 years old. A student who is temporarily away at school may still be claimed as a dependent, even if he did not live with the parent for at least one half of the year.