𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝑭𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒂𝒙𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝑬𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑻𝑷𝑺 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔-𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓 $600

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐏𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬—𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 $𝟔𝟎𝟎

For immigrants living and working in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Humanitarian Parole, navigating the complexities of tax filing can feel overwhelming. 

Many wonder: Do I need to file taxes if I only earned a small amount? What if I got my Employment Authorization Document (EAD) late in the year? 

Yes, you likely need to file taxes, and doing so can bring significant benefits. Let’s break it down.

◈ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝑭𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒂𝒙𝒆𝒔

The IRS requires anyone earning income in the U.S. to file taxes if their income meets certain thresholds. While $600 is not the official threshold for most taxpayers, it’s important to understand that filing taxes is about more than just meeting a minimum income requirement. It’s about fulfilling a legal obligation as someone authorized to work in the U.S. Whether you earned $600 or $60,000, filing your taxes demonstrates compliance with federal law and helps you maintain a clean record with both the IRS and USCIS.

☞ 𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒂𝒙𝒆𝒔
Filing taxes isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it can also work in your favor. Here are some key advantages:

✅ 𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑻𝒂𝒙 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒔: You may qualify for tax benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable credit designed to help low- to moderate-income workers. For example, if you earned $8,000 in a year, you could potentially receive a refund through the EITC, even if you owe no taxes.

✅ 𝑬𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆: Filing taxes creates a paper trail that shows you are following U.S. laws. This can be beneficial for your immigration status, as USCIS may review your tax history when evaluating your case.

✅ 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑶𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔: A history of filing taxes can make it easier to apply for loans, mortgages, or other financial services in the future.

𝑨 𝑯𝒚𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐 ✍
Let’s say Maria, a TPS holder, obtained her EAD in October and worked part-time for the remainder of the year, earning $8,000. At first, she’s unsure if she needs to file taxes because her income is relatively low. However, after consulting a tax professional, Maria learns that filing taxes is not only a legal requirement but also an opportunity to claim the EITC. By filing her taxes, Maria receives a refund of $1000, which helps her cover essential expenses. Additionally, she establishes a record of compliance, which could strengthen her immigration case in the future.

💮 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔
While filing taxes is important, it’s equally critical to ensure that your tax return is accurate and truthful. Any false declarations or misleading information on your tax forms can have serious consequences, including penalties from the IRS and complications with USCIS. Remember, tax and immigration matters are federal issues, and dishonesty can jeopardize your ability to remain in the U.S.

☞ 𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝑵𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑨𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆
Filing taxes can be complex, especially when immigration status is involved. That’s why it’s essential to seek guidance from professionals who understand both tax and immigration law. At 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊-𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔, our team of legal and tax professionals is here to help. We’ll work with you to ensure your taxes are filed accurately and on time, so you can focus on building a brighter future in the U.S.

Don’t let uncertainty hold you back. Contact 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊-𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 today to schedule a consultation. Let us help you meet your legal obligations and unlock the benefits of filing taxes with confidence.