Form 8615 Tax for Children under 18 with Investment Income of More Than $2100

Purpose of Form

For children under age 18 and certain older children described below in Who Must File, unearned income over $2,200 is taxed at the parent's rate if the parent's rate is higher than the child's. If the child's unearned income is more than $2,200, use Form 8615 to figure the child's tax.

Form 8615 must be filed for any child who meets all of the following conditions.

1. The child had more than $2,200 of unearned income.

2. The child is required to file a tax return.

3. The child either:

     a. Was under age 18 at the end of 2021,

     b. Was age 18 at the end of 2021 and didn’t have earned income that was more than half of the child's support, or

     c. Was a full-time student at least age 19 and under age 24 at the end of 2021 and didn’t have earned income that was more than half of the child's support.

(Earned income is defined later. Support is defined below.)

4. At least one of the child's parents was alive at the end of 2021.

5. The child doesn’t file a joint return for 2021.

For these rules, the term “child” includes a legally adopted child and a stepchild. These rules apply whether or not the child is a dependent. These rules don’t apply if neither of the child’s parents were living at the end of the year.

Your support includes all amounts spent to provide the child with food, lodging, clothing, education, medical and dental care, recreation, transportation, and similar necessities. To figure your child’s support, count support provided by you, your child, and others. However, a scholarship received by your child isn’t considered support if your child is a full-time student. For details, see Pub. 501, Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information.