Getting The Most Out Of Your Medical Expense Tax Deduction
There are few taxpayers who are fully aware of the different heads under which the medical expense tax deduction is available. Those who know make full use of it to cover large portions of their medical bills. They know that they can deduct medical costs as long as it is more than 7.5 percent of their adjusted gross income The others too need to make use of Uncle Sam’s largesse by using the following guidelines: 1. The first is to reach the 7.5 per cent magical figure. For this, you should take into account the medical expenditure of not only yourself, but also every member who is listed on your tax return. This can include your spouse, your children and all other dependents. You are even allowed to include the medical and dental bills of a family member who may have died during the course of the tax year.
2. You also need to include expenses like transportation from your residence to the place of treatment. The expenses can be calculated by making use of the cents-per-mile allowance given on the IRS website. This is not the only expense that you can add. There are several others like long term care insurance (based on your age), uninsured treatments such as an extra pair of eyeglasses or set of contact lenses, false teeth, hearing aids and artificial limbs. Amazingly, some weight loss programs to have been added to this list.
3. If you have special medical needs such as the use of wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, these are also tax deductible. Moreover, if you remodel your house -- on the doctor’s orders of course -- and add a ramp or widen the doors, then these costs are partially deductible.
4. Miscellaneous deductions: Also don’t forget miscellaneous deductions. These include: expenses made on legal abortion, acupuncture, eye surgery, drug rehabilitation, prescription drugs and insulin, nursing home and nursing services, ambulance service, hospital expenses, laboratory fees, health insurance premiums, dependent fees paid to physicians, surgeons, specialists, dentists, psychologist, and other medical practitioners Add these up, and any figure beyond the 7.5 per cent mark is tax deductible.
On the flip side there are certain costs that are medical, but which cannot be deducted. These include: cosmetic surgery, gymnasium payments or costs of a weight loss program, hair transplant and electrolysis operations, bottled water-still or sparkling, dancing lessons, teeth whitening, maternity clothes and diaper service.
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