Anyone help me out with tax returns?

no, no, no, at 16 if you are living in the household of your parents 6 months and do not provide more than 50% of your own support, your parents claim you until you turn 19, you don't have a choice, nor do they

and if your parents are not filing married jointly that would be the only reason your mother would claim you on her return instead of them both claiming you on their joint return

you file your tax return if you made more than $6300 or if you didn't and income tax was withheld that you don't owe

and you file a tax return, you answer the question on the return, can you be claimed by another person? YES

but you are single, not independent, there is no such category

Your mom is right - no you can't claim yourself, you're a dependent. And no even if she didn't claim you, you can't legally claim yourself unless you supported yourself for the year which on what you made working in the summer, you certainly didn't- supporting yourself includes paying your share of rent, utilities, food and other household expenses for the year.. If you file a return claiming yourself and your mom claims you too, you'll just delay her refund and cause a lot of IRS paperwork for both of you, then if you got anything from claiming yourself, you'd have to pay it back. But if you made under $6300 total, you'd get the same amount back anyway, whatever you had withheld if anything for federal income tax, wouldn't get any more even if you could claim yourself. Your dad is either very unknowledgeable about taxes, or trying to cause trouble for your mom. Do not claim yourself.

Since you are under age 19 and I assume live with a parent or relative, and you do not provide over 50% of your own support, you cannot claim yourself even if no one else claims you.

You will not owe any income tax if your wages are less than $6,300. If you made more than that, some tax is due. File Form 1040EZ online.

Generally, speaking your mom would claim you and you would not claim yourself.

You can not claim yourself if someone else could qualify to claim you even if that person doesn't.

Personally, I have never seen a 16 year old who could not be claim by a parent.

You MUST file a return if you want to claim any refund due you. read the form 1040 instructions, pay particular attention to any phrase such as 'if you can be claimed as a dependent by someone else'. your situation is NOT new to the IRS.

If you're not due a refund, you probably won't need or want to file.

No. If someone decides not to claim you, then you are not allowed to claim yourself. To be allowed to claim yourself, it must be against the law for anyone else to claim you. If anyone in the world can claim you, then you cannot claim yourself.

if she didn't claim you then yes