How Much Can I Make? » From: Fulton, NY Dear TaxMama: How much can a spose filing jointly make before she has to claim? How much can a student make before he has to claim? Debbie Dear Debbie, If you are filing jointly, you must report all your income. It's included in your joint return...and taxed at your joint rate of tax. If you decide to file separately, you still have to report your income. Sorry, there is no minimum. As a student, the limits depend: Is the student married? Is the student a senior citizen (over 65)? Is the income in the form of wages or from their own business? See, with taxes, there's no easy answer. Regardless, here's a link to the total amount of personal exemptions (That's the deduction you get for simply being alive) and the total standard deduction (that's what you get, even if you don't itemize). Add the two together, from the appropriate category and year, and voila! That's how much a student may earn without having to file a tax return. On the other hand, if it's from a business, and the income is over $400 ... you must file a tax return. There may be self-employment taxes due. Does that properly confuse you? Sorry, I don't write the code ... just interpret it. Best wishes, Eva Rosenberg Your TaxMama