By far, the most popular questions to “ask the taxgirl” this season have involved the tax rebates. Of those, the most asked is “Do I qualify for a tax rebate?”
To help you figure it out, here is a list of folks who do NOT qualify for a tax rebate:
1, You will NOT qualify for a tax rebate if you don’t file a 2007 tax return.
2, You will NOT qualify for a tax rebate if your net income tax liability is zero and your qualifying income is less than $3,000. Qualifying income includes wages, net self-employment income, nontaxable combat pay, Social Security benefits, certain Railroad Retirement benefits and certain veterans’ payments.
3, You will NOT qualify for a tax rebate if you are can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return (so yes, college students still being reported on your parents’ tax return, this means you).
4, You will NOT qualify for a tax rebate if you do not have a valid Social Security Number (if you need more information about how to get one, check here). It’s important to note that ITINs are NOT sufficient.
5, You will NOT qualify for a tax rebate if you are a nonresident alien.
6, You will NOT qualify for a tax rebate if you file any of the following returns: Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ, Form 1040PR or Form 1040SS.
Keep checking for more tax rebate information.
And most importantly – if you’re solidly middle class, earning in excess of $87K of AGI for singles and $174K for MFJ, you won’t receive a rebate. So those paying the most tax will receive the least, or no, benefit.
The rebate is the dumbest tax provision passed in recent years…
Thanks for clarifying WHO does and does not get a rebate. Imagine folks thinking that they will actually get something…for doing nothing!
don’t even call it a ‘rebate’…it’s a give away for a lot of dead beats that paid nothing so it is not a rebate. if you and your spouse work hard and pay in more & more taxes…you get zero !!
that is thanks to the democrates .
You’re right that it’s not a rebate.
That said, you can’t fully blame the Dems for this mess. The White House and the GOP initially backed a plan that capped the limit MUCH lower than the final plan: http://www.taxgirl.com/deal-reached-on-tax-rebates/
There has never been any question that this is less “economic relief” and more “incumbent press” than anything – on both sides of the aisle.
In normal income year, we would have received $2100 from this so called rebate scam. However last year we moved and sold some stock options so we would have some cash to put in a yard, blinds, etc. So guess what, it put us over the $150,000 by quite a bit so we get zero. The dumbest part of this whole equation is that it is figured off of your AGI not what you actually bring home. If that were the case, many more tax payers would qualify. We are middle class w/3 kids, had one unusually good income year, paid taxes in one of the highest tax brackets and suddenly we are rich. We paid taxes on our stock sale at the time of the sale. If you take what’s really brought home from your income after all the taxes, it’s nothing. So again the middle class (oh I’m sorry the filthy rich) get screwed.
All this tax rebate is a bunch of bs. I am a single person that pays a crap load of taxes and get not a single penny back. Any why? I put myself through undergrad, took loans out for grad school, received my pharmd. only to pay taxes and taxes. I don’t qualify for student loans tax deduct because I make “too much”. I don’t get a tax rebate because I make “too much”…I makes me ill when I see all these lazyass people that are capable of working do nothing but rely on the federal government, I meant people like me to pay taxes. I should have not gone to college, got knocked up, then I would have the best medical benefits ever (ie. Medicaid), get free foodstamps to eat whatever I want, get on Medicare when I retire. Damn, what was I thinking?
For all of you who think that all people getting tax rebates for doing nothing, my husband and I work full time jobs, (he working 2). We are both college graduates and serve our community as well. We have three children and have just as many school loans to pay. We are home owners and don’t qualify for all of the government aid that you have sited. We qualify for the rebate and I am going to spend it happily. Your frustration may be understandable, but your perception of lazy people who don’t work being the only recipients is not only sad, but a very perverted view of the community around you….
what if you filed on turbo tax? are you not supposed to get one? cuz turbo tax estimated how much of one we would get. but our money isn’t in the bank yet. we were in the 00-20 category with the SS#s, and we did direct deposit on our tax papers. should our money already be there if we were getting it?
I’m going to a University full time to become an Engineer and working full time. I don’t qualify for any subsidized loans and I’m not receiving any help paying for college other than normal student loans. Yet because my parents still claim me I’m not going to get part of this stimulus. If they wanted the money to be spent on consumer products not groceries and gas then I really don’t know why they didn’t give the dependents that are working and making over the $3,000 mark a year some of the stimulus because you know it would more likely be spent on CDs, Phones, Computers, Bowling, Movies, etc. Ya, I’m sure some would spend it on gas, or college, neither of which deserve any of this money, but I’m sure the majority would use it for impulse buying, not bills.
F#u^ the goverment! Students don’t get checks, are you FU&KING kidding me! I pay for my school and everything in my life. My mommy and daddy didn’t send me to a far away college paying for my dorm, tutiton, and books, while I didn’t work and got a $500 credit card every month. NO! I work and go to school full time. Sorry for trying to better myself by going to college. The government makes the rich richer and the poor poorer!
I should have quit school and have ten kids with ten different baby daddies then I would be making it! Great message for the kids goverment!
this pisses me off there are so many lazy as people my age getting it just cuz they aren’t in school
To clarify, the rebate is not dependent upon your being in school or not.
If you are claimed as a dependent by another person, such as a parent, you are not entitled to the rebate. If you are self-sufficient and are not claimed by any other person and otherwise meet the criteria, you are indeed entitled to a rebate.
I’m appalled at some of the nasty and insensitive remarks on this page. Im getting a rebate because Im on Social Security Disability as a result of spina bifida. I get to live on 640.00 a month. If you think I wouldn’t rather be working and paying taxes you’re sadly mistaken.Before you condemn try walking in another person’s shoes
If you owe state taxes will you still get a rebate, I dont know if they are connected or not?
Im a bit confused as to why so many of you think that only lazy people are receiving a rebate? I have worked with people that make less than 20k a year and work harder than some tool in a suit in a big “whatever” firm. I make upwards of 35k a year and average 50 hours a week. So when that rebate check comes in, do I stand for the ridicule of working less?? Shame on any of you that believe only the lazy make less. There are so so many Americans that do not make a living wage doing the jobs you wouldnt touch (i.e. a slaughterhouse). Those that think only lazy people make less should try giving up your trust funds.
I’m confused on the lazy people part, too. I was out of a job for most of 2007 and barely made $1000. By that logic, I should be getting a check, right? The people getting checks had to have earned over $3000, so how does that make them lazy? But chances are, the people that need the money the most won’t be getting it.
Ok — still confused. I filed for my parents and I don’t know what to tell them. They only made $7300 in social security disability and they claimed me. Will they get any money out of this – or even for me? I’m a college student and was told they COULD claim me. Ah, confusion!
Well, I won’t be getting jack! Filed married/jointly & have 3 kids. The reason we don’t qualify is because my husband filed the taxes w/ a Tax id #. How fair is that???? Nothing for me or the kids!
I am thinking that by the time I get the rebate, the over/under for no. of gas tanks I can fill with it is 6…
so much for college students! this crap is so stupid.
I am disappointed in the rebate system. As an undergrad for half the year I was able to be claimed by my parents as a dependent even though I earned in excess of 10,000 dollars of taxable income.
This brings a glarring issue to the forfront in this system…
Only parents with children under the age of 17 can get any kind of bonus refund. Parents with children between the ages of 17 and 23 who are completely supported by their parents while they attend high school or college do not help their parents get a “bonus” refund. The system is poorly implemented and does not even directly address the issues it was meant to address. People will not be putting the money back into the economy, they will be paying “cost of living” things with it. What we need to do is let the market correct itself. Eventually wages will raise to compensate for elevated cost of living and the economy can get out of this funk.
Desperate republicans. Co-incident (after 7 1/2 yrs of no tax rebate)with important election. Untold trillions in corporate welfare and Halliburton type theft. Imagination is critically lacking amongst some who can’t see past the nose on their face. Corporate (Wall St.) gov’t is coming if our collective logic isn’t honest and accepting of a nightmare scenario that has demonstrated it’s existence time and time again.
Why do I not get a rebate for my 19 year old daughter who works part time but I claim on my return? My daughter does not qualify for a rebate so shouldn’t I receive the child rebate? What makes her different than any other child I might have?
I really don’t think it’s fair that college students who can still be claimed as dependents won’t get anything. We are the one’s who are trying to better ourselves by getting an education and we get punished for it. My parents don’t pay a dime for my education costs and I have several loans. I could have definitely used that money. It’s the same way with my FAFSA form. My parents make to much, but they don’t pay a dime for my education. I get punished for my parents having a decent job.
Samantha, I’m right there with you. I used to hate filing as a dependent – all of my friends got rebates and I didn’t! Here’s a suggestion… My dad and I figured out how much *extra* he got by claiming me and he refunded some of that to me since I, like you, paid my own way. I highly recommend having that talk with your parents. Maybe they’ll appreciate your diligence and give you a little something… Worth a try!
I talked to my dad about it and he gave me the extra money he got from claiming me. Thanks for the suggestion!
I had to by a new air conditoner for my home and when i go it the sales man said i had a $1500 rebate coming back to me. I am retired and my wife and i make $23762.oo a year will i get this money i don’t have to paid taxes cause of my income. The price on the unit was 4900.00 It is the new type . Please give me an answer. Thank you Milt
will i get a rebate
I dont like saying I’m a single mom like it’s something for people to pity upon, but this is just not right. I’m a single mom 100%, no government help at all, none, nada, zip, zero nothing. So to make a long story short. I made like 35k last year. So I owe about a grand this year. How the heck does that happen??? Is there anywhere on my taxes that I can put a note that I dont get ANY gov assistance and I’m a single mother. Is there any credits for that????? Or should I just go and lie about all my info just to be able to get some type of gov assistance???? I’m so lost and I feel so ripped off.