Student Taxes - Financial Wellness Center

Schedule an Appointment or Self-File

Schedule an appointment Book Your Tax FIling

Free Tax Assistance via NoRTH Partnership

Know your dependency status

You are technically considered a dependent if:

Your parents cover more than 50% of your support

Support here is considered the sum of your living expenses like shelter, food, clothing, medical and dental care, education, transportation, etc.

You are under the age of 24 by the end of the year

Enrolled in school full time

There can be other issues regarding this status such as in state residency for tuition purposes, education credits, Affordable Care Act insurance, etc. Discuss with your parents or caretaker prior to filing. At our tax clinics, we will not be able to file unless you know if your parents/guardians are claiming you as a dependent on their taxes or not.

Gather income documents

Income Documents - could come in mail or electronically

W2 income from employment
1099 documents (bank statements, investment documents)
1099 NEC - income received for Independent Contractors

Adjustments/deduction documents

1098-T Tuition paid (not all students will get one, check in CIS)
- Receipts for other qualified educational expenses like books and equipment
1098-E Student Loan interest paid
Other qualified expenses like medical bills, mortgage interest, charity payments, etc.
Expenses for work expenses if you got a 1099-NEC

Required items to bring to appointment

Picture I.D.

Social Security Card

Previous tax return documentation

Bank routing number and account number

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you must bring your card to the appointment. The IRS has strict guidelines for protecting identities of taxpayers. Photo identification is required for all taxpayers and Social Security cards are required for all taxpayers and dependents. We will accept a clear photograph of the Social Security card. We cannot make exceptions to this rule. We will not file your taxes without your Social Security card.

Learn More about required documents

The IRS will begin accepting tax returns around Feb 1 each tax season and the deadline to pay taxes is around April 15. If you need more time to gather all of your documents you can file for an extension through Oct. 15.

If your income is over the Standard Deduction, $15,750 for 2025, you need to file
If you earned less than that and you had income taxes withheld, you should file to get that money back
Even if you the above situations don't apply to you, you could qualify for refundable credits, you should file to get that money

When in doubt, ask us at the Financial Wellness Center.

Taxable income includes:

Wages and employee benefits
Self-employment income or side jobs
Investment income like capital gains, interest earned, dividends
Benefits paid to you like retirement, unemployment
Other income types like gambling winning, cancelled debts
Some scholarships are taxable income. Generally, if the amount received exceeds tuition and required expenses it is taxable. Housing and parking passes are not consided required expenses.

More Information

This list is not exhaustive, please check the IRS list to see what other income should be included on your tax return.

IRS Taxable Income Information

If you and your spouse are both residents you can file a joint return. The U of U VITA tax clinics are able to file joint returns for residents spouses at the tax clinics. Both spouses must be present at the time of filing, and both must have their Social Security cards and photo IDs.

Yes! There are two tax credits for independent students, or a dependent student's parents/caretakers. The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC). The AOTC can be claimed for the first four years of higher education, and the LLC can be claimed beyond those four years for subsequent educational costs.

LIFETIME LEARNING CREDIT INFORMATION

American Opportunity Tax Credit Information

Create a plan for your refund in alignment with your financial goals! You can save it, spend it, or invest it! Book an appointment and we can help you make aligned decisions!

After tax season support is offered to University of Utah students through October 15. This includes late filing, amended returns, prior year returns, letters from the IRS. For assistance, please email our VITA tax team at vitataxes@utah.edu