Do you have to pay the IRS if you are below the poverty level?

Individuals with incomes below the federal poverty line may have to pay taxes depending on their income and their family size, according to the Tax Policy Center. While the earned income tax credit reduces the amount that many low-income families owe, some individuals still have to pay income taxes.

For instance, the poverty guideline for a single person with no children is $11,770, as of 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. However, the earned income tax credit for a single person with no children starts to phase out when income reaches $8,110, meaning that person may owe taxes on some portion of the income, notes the Tax Policy Center.