<prompt> Human: So Im currently 18, but last year I was a working minor, and as I understand it, my parents claim me and all of my earnings as such. This is where the problem begins. So my mother and father are divorced, and each of them claims a single child, my brother and I respectively. I understand that I should be getting most of what I paid into federal income tax returned, but my father is the one who claims my income. He didnt file last year, quit his job, cashed his 401k, and could potentially not file this year. Also, if I do get anything back, I cant be certain hed actually give me the money he hasnt been the best of parent. How does this affect me? Will they automatically deduct whatever I should be returned into what he owes? How could I go about assuring Id obtain any returns? Any help is appreciated.  <response>: I think you have a misunderstanding about what happens when parent claims a child as a dependent. They dont claim your income write it on their tax filing. If you earned less than a certain amount 6350 in 2017, slightly less in previous years and were able to be claimed as a dependent, you would not have had a requirement to file. But if income tax was taken from paychecks, you would want to file anyway, to get that amount refunded to you. To do that, your parent might have prepared a tax filing for you or you could have done it yourself and it gets signed by you and sent in separately from your parents filing. Refund would come to you as well.So there are a few scenarios that might have occurred in 2016. Maybe no income tax was ever taken from your paychecks so there was no refund to get. Check your W-2 form box 2 to see if it was empty. Maybe income tax was taken, but your parent never filed for you, thinking you had no obligation to file. Maybe income tax was taken, and your parent filed a tax filing for you, but took your refund. Maybe something else I am not thinking of.Even when you file your own taxes, your parent still benefits from being able to claim you. In 2017 it means at very least removing 4050 from income before calculating tax. It could also mean receiving tax credits or having bigger tax brackets to charge lower tax rates on income.The way to move forward is to look at your W-2 to determine if you have had any tax taken see box 2, and see if you actually owed any tax amounts above 6350 would be taxed at 10 for first 9325, then 15 for next 28625. If no tax was taken and no tax due, no need to file.If tax was taken and its more than you really owe, you should file. Whether dad files or not doesnt really affect your filing. One of your parents likely is able to claim you as a dependent, and that is all you need to know to file.If you look at 2016 W-2 and see you should have gotten a refund, you can file your 2016 filing now. No penalty for doing it late if they owe you money. But before you do that youd want to be sure no filing was sent in for you by misguided parent. Ask your father what he did regarding your tax prep last year. 