would it pay for my parents to file?

[tiffanys]

What is the name of your state?
P.A.
my parents get ssi income, for years though my dad got disability, untill just last month when he turned 65.
as soon as my dad started to recieve disability 7 years ago, they never filed a return, dad said he dint have to it was already taxed, and he also said he dont have to file with social security because it was altready taxed. they never hear from the IRS anyway.
the yearly income from these checks are usualy only 12,000 dollars, maybe a little more now ,married filing jointly they probably wouldnt have owed anything anyway, BUT
would it have benifited them to file based on the fact that they are low income? in the past four years they have sold and bought a house twice, never benefiting from it tax return wise.
I cant believe all these years my parents never filed when they could have claimed my sister who was only 14 when he started collecting disability, and claimed all the tax credits for child tax
and now that they are seniors would it benifit them to deduct real estate tax, mortgage intrest and the like? or low income tax forgiveness for state tax?
my dad is lazy when it comes to anything with paperwork, he hates it.
my mom though dont understand any of it, and asked me if she could file a return and get money back.
I am not sure.
thanks

 

[Snipes5]

If their only income is SSI or SSD, they have no taxable income, and no, it wouldn't help them to file.

If they have income from ANY other source, they should take their paperwork to a competent Enrollled Agent to determine whether or not they should have filed in the years they sold property.

Also wondering how they bought property in the first place if they had no income besides disability. The IRS may wonder that also.

Snipes

 

[tigger22472]

People receiving SSI don't generally file taxes. The way it works in a spousal situation is that the working spouses income is added up.. then take HALF of the SSI or SSDI recieved. If added together it comes to the amount specified by IRS or SS then taxes are paid on that part.

 

[tiffanys]

thanks

well now I know what to tell mom,
oh, and snipes5, they sold thier home, moved, stayed there a year couldnt afford the heat bill, sold that house and moved again,now they are looking to move a third time due to the fact this house is too much for them to handle,
Irs wouldnt be involved any way they actually loose every time they move.
thanks again.
tif