IRS says I must file

[Kenny Jackson]

I remember that if I don't owe tax, I don't need to file, though filing
is recommended. Is that still true? I'm asking because IRS sent me a
letter saying I must file.

I'm filing because I can get refund. I just wonder if it's still true
that I don't need to file if I don't owe tax.

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[paultry]

On 04/08/2022 16:06, Kenny Jackson wrote:
> I remember that if I don't owe tax, I don't need to file,
> though filing is recommended. Is that still true? I'm asking
> because IRS sent me a letter saying I must file.
>
> I'm filing because I can get refund. I just wonder if it's
> still true that I don't need to file if I don't owe tax.
>

You remember incorrectly; it's not true and never has been.
Filing requirement is based on filing status, age, and income.

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17#en_US_2021_publink1000170407

[Jerry Salinsky]

On 4/8/2022 5:56 PM, paultry wrote:
> On 04/08/2022 16:06, Kenny Jackson wrote:
>> I remember that if I don't owe tax, I don't need to file, though
>> filing is recommended. Is that still true? I'm asking because IRS sent
>> me a letter saying I must file.
>>
>> I'm filing because I can get refund. I just wonder if it's still true
>> that I don't need to file if I don't owe tax.
>>
>
> You remember incorrectly; it's not true and never has been.  Filing
> requirement is based on filing status, age, and income.
>
> https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17#en_US_2021_publink1000170407

You maybe right. But on the link you provided, there is an income
requirement, above which one must file. That seems to imply that one
doesn't have to file if one's income is lower than the requirement.

I have also just found the following passage on CNN:

"Other people may have missed out on the stimulus payment altogether.
Those with incomes so low they don't have to file taxes may have never
received their payment because the Internal Revenue Service did not have
their information."

[paultry]

On 04/09/2022 17:00, Jerry Salinsky wrote:
> On 4/8/2022 5:56 PM, paultry wrote:
>> On 04/08/2022 16:06, Kenny Jackson wrote:
>>> I remember that if I don't owe tax, I don't need to file,
>>> though filing is recommended. Is that still true? I'm
>>> asking because IRS sent me a letter saying I must file.
>>>
>>> I'm filing because I can get refund. I just wonder if
>>> it's still true that I don't need to file if I don't owe
>>> tax.
>>>
>>
>> You remember incorrectly; it's not true and never has
>> been.  Filing requirement is based on filing status, age,
>> and income.
>>
>> https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17#en_US_2021_publink1000170407
>>
>
> You maybe right. But on the link you provided, there is an
> income requirement, above which one must file. That seems to
> imply that one doesn't have to file if one's income is lower
> than the requirement.
>
> I have also just found the following passage on CNN:
>
> "Other people may have missed out on the stimulus payment
> altogether. Those with incomes so low they don't have to
> file taxes may have never received their payment because the
> Internal Revenue Service did not have their information."
>

Repeated from my original response:

Filing requirement is based on filing status, age, and

INCOME [emphasis added].

[John Levine]

According to Jerry Salinsky <oua...@do-no-send.com>:

>> You remember incorrectly; it's not true and never has been.  Filing
>> requirement is based on filing status, age, and income.
>>
>> https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17#en_US_2021_publink1000170407
>
>You maybe right. But on the link you provided, there is an income
>requirement, above which one must file. That seems to imply that one
>doesn't have to file if one's income is lower than the requirement.

Hey, he said "and income."

I suppose if your income is so low that you don't need to file, you
don't need to file, but if your income is that low, it is fairly
likely you qualify for a refund or even a credit. On that IRS web
page, scroll down to the section "Who Should File".

Also, if your income is that low, there are a bunch of free file options
that are actually free, so why not.

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