My son won $800 in a science fair lat year. He was 15 when he won....the check arrived at the end of the school year when he had just turned 16. Today he got a 1099-MISC in the mail showing $800 in block 7, nonemployee income...lists the payer as the school district. What do I do with this? Do I have to report this as income? Or do I have to file something in his name?

My son won $800 in a science fair lat year. He was 15 when he won....the check arrived at the end of the school year when he had just turned 16. Today he got a 1099-MISC in the mail showing $800 in block 7, nonemployee income...lists the payer as the school district. What do I do with this? =======>>I guess it should have been reported on 1099 in box #3 rather than #7; many schools make many mistakes in reporting income on 1099s; anyway in your case, in principle, is in the non-employee compensation box on the 1099-misc, then it is by definition self-employment incomeYour kid would need to file his own tax return, with a sch C-EZ(cheaper than Sch C of 1040). He will owe a small amount of self employment tax UNLESS he has expenses to reduce the self employment income of $800 , but no actual income tax. he would also note on his own return that he is the dependent of another.

Do I have to report this as income? =====>No not as your income but as the kid?s income ; Do not claim your child's 1099MISC income on your tax return. The income belongs to your child and belongs on his tax return.

Or do I have to file something in his name?========>
Yes; the kid, your dependent, needs to file a return showing it; the child must file a tax return, but cannot because of his age or other reason, you, a guardian, or other person who is legally responsible for the child must file the return on the child's behalf. The person must also sign the child name on the return if the child cannot sign it, followed by "By [your signature], parent for minor child."