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The Daily Insight

Can you file taxes without a dependent?

Author

Andrew Ramirez

Published May 18, 2026

You may file your income tax return without claiming your daughter as a dependent. After you receive her SSN, you may then amend your return on Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return and claim your daughter as a dependent.

How do I find my AGI without taxes?

If you do not have a copy of your tax return, you can get your AGI from one of the IRS self-service tools:

  1. Use your online account to immediately view your AGI on the Tax Records tab.
  2. Use Get Transcript by Mail or call 800-908-9946 if you cannot pass Secure Access and need to request a Tax Return Transcript.

Does AGI include dependent?

Note: Dependents who are more than 18 years old can have income up to $4,150 in 2020 and still qualify as a dependent. Simply put, a child’s gross income is made up of the total of their income from taxable sources before subtracting any adjustments, deductions, or exemptions.

Can I File My taxes without last year’s AGI?

The IRS uses your prior-year AGI to verify your identity when you efile your 2020 Tax Return. You only need a prior-year AGI if you are e-Filing your tax return to the IRS. An incorrect 2019 AGI on your 2020 return will result in a tax return rejection by the IRS and/or State Tax Agency.

Where do I Find my AGI on my tax return?

Quick tip: You need your 2019 AGI to sign and file your 2020 tax return. You can find it on Line 8b of your 2019 return (Form 1040). Once you know your gross income, you can find your AGI by subtracting above-the-line deductions, otherwise known as “adjustments to income.”

How old do you have to be to be a dependent on income tax?

The dependent age limit for a qualifying child is under age 19 at the end of the tax year. She also must be younger than you or your spouse. If the qualifying child is a full-time student, she must be under age 24 at the end of the year.

What should my AGI be for federal stimulus?

Single taxpayers whose AGI in 2019 or 2020 was $75,000 or less are expected to receive the full stimulus payment. Those earning between $75,001 and $80,000 would receive a reduced amount.

How much income do you have to have to claim dependents?

If you claimed two children as qualifying dependents on your taxes in 2017 and your income was $50,000 for the year, you would be taxed on $41,900 (less any other exemptions or deductions). The TCJA eliminated exemptions for dependents beginning with the 2018 tax year.