Your income, not age, determines whether you must file taxes at 17 years old, according to the Internal Revenue Service. However, the filing requirements for minors, or those 17 years old and younger, are different from those for older taxpayers.
Requirements
Whether you need to file taxes at 17 years old generally depends on how much earned and unearned income you have.
Earned Income
As of 2009, dependents had to file taxes if their earned income exceeded $5,450, according to the IRS.
Unearned Income
As of 2009, dependents had to file a return if their unearned income exceeded $900.
Warning
In some cases, you may need to file taxes at 17 years old even if your earned or unearned income doesn't meet the dollar threshold that the IRS sets.
Considerations
Income that you receive for labor or service is filed under your Social Security number. This is the case even if your parent is entitled to the income under state law.