Do we have to claim it?

My wife is primarily a stay at home mom but she did have a part-time job for a little while. She only made about $500. Do we have to claim this income when we file or can we ignore it as it is a small amount?

Answer: Yes, you have to claim it. It is a common misconception that small W2s can be ignored. If your income already puts you and your wife over the filing requirement, any additional income (even $1) must be claimed. In theory, she wouldn’t have to file at all if you two chose to file as Married-Filing Separately, but that would be a bad idea as her income is so low.