Generally, if you were claimed as a dependent on someone else’s 2019 tax return and you were single, your standard deduction was the larger of either:
- If you had earned income, the amount of your 2019 earned income plus $350, up to a maximum of $12,200,
or
- $1,100
If the standard deduction covered all of your 2019 earned and unearned income (like bank interest), you were not required to file a federal tax return, although if you had any federal tax withheld from your pay you should have filed to get that withholding back. However: not being required to file a federal tax return does not mean that the 2019 income does not need to be reported on FAFSA.
Note that there may be “kiddie tax” implications for a student who is a tax dependent, depending on the amount of any unearned income, and it gets even more confusing because for the IRS the term “unearned income” has different meanings in different situations. None of this should be construed as tax advice, and you should always consult a reputable tax advisor if you need tax assistance.