You can deduct your unreimbursed medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), but only if you itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040) instead of taking the standard deduction. You must have paid the expenses during the tax year.
Who can you deduct expenses for?
You can include qualifying medical expenses you paid for:
- Yourself and your spouse.
- Your dependents.
- Any person who would have been your dependent except for certain situations (income limits, or filing a joint return).
What expenses are deductible?
Deductible
medical expenses are the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or
prevention of disease, and for the purpose of affecting any part or function of
the body. Examples of common deductible expenses include:
- Fees
for doctors, dentists, surgeons, chiropractors, psychiatrists, and other
medical practitioners.
- Inpatient
hospital care or nursing home care if the primary reason is medical
care (includes meals and lodging).
- Acupuncture,
alcohol or drug addiction treatment, and smoking cessation programs
(prescription drugs to alleviate nicotine withdrawal qualify, but
over-the-counter patches/gum do not).
- Prescription
medicines and insulin.
- Medical
supplies and equipment like bandages, breast pumps, contact lenses and
solution, eyeglasses, hearing aids, crutches, and wheelchairs.
- Health
insurance premiums you paid with after-tax dollars, including Medicare
Parts B and D premiums.
- Qualified
long-term care insurance premiums, subject to annual limits based on
age.
- Transportation
costs primarily for and essential to medical care, including a
standard mileage rate for using your car, parking fees, and ambulance
services.
- Home improvements made primarily for medical reasons, such as
building ramps or modifying bathrooms, but only the amount that exceeds the
increase in the home's value (some improvements do not increase value and the
full cost can be deducted).
What expenses are not deductible?
- Expenses
reimbursed by insurance or paid for with funds from a Health Savings
Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) (since these funds
are already tax-advantaged).
- Nonprescription
medicines and general health items like vitamins, toothpaste, and
toiletries.
- Cosmetic
surgery (unless necessary to correct a congenital abnormality, accident,
or disease).
- Funeral or burial expenses.
Clarifications
You should only do this if your total itemized deductions
(which may also include mortgage interest, state and local taxes, and
charitable contributions) are greater than the standard deduction for your
filing status.
For a comprehensive list of all qualifying
expenses, refer to IRS Publication 502.
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