# Tax question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494 "2005-03-27T21:37:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![puppymeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppymeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppymeister)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494/1 "2005-03-27T21:37:54Z")

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If I didn’t work at all last year and no one is claiming me on there taxes what kind of forum do I need to fill out?

I am single with no children.

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**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494/2 "2005-03-27T21:42:21Z")

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There is more to income than just work. But assuming that you made no money, you don’t need to file at all.

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**Author:** ![puppymeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppymeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppymeister)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494/3 "2005-03-27T22:12:20Z")

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> [@This Year's Model](#):
>
> There is more to income than just work. But assuming that you made no money, you don’t need to file at all.

Seriously? I thought for sure I’d have to send something in.

Thanks.

I had no income whatsoever.

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**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494/4 "2005-03-27T22:23:56Z")

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There would only be two reasons to file even if you didn’t have to pay taxes, but both of them require that you had some work during the year: to get back any income tax withheld, or to get the earned income credit (which also requires a child). Since you didn’t work at all, don’t worry about it.

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**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494/5 "2005-03-27T22:46:19Z")

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I would file a 1040-EZ just so next year they don’t ask what happened last year.

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**Author:** ![puppymeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppymeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppymeister)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494/6 "2005-03-27T23:04:49Z")

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> [@ccwaterback](#):
>
> I would file a 1040-EZ just so next year they don’t ask what happened last year.

Good idea. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question/296494/7 "2005-03-28T01:53:36Z")

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Strictly speaking, you never, ever have to file unless you owe money. Even if you’ve broken perfectly even, you don’t have to file. The thing is, though, that if you’ve broken perfectly even while counting on deductions, you’re subject to an audit. On the other hand, your ALWAYS subject to an audit.