3.5 Itemized Deductions/Standard Deductions: 5. Medical, Nursing Home, Special Care Expenses
My father is in a nursing home and I pay for the entire cost. Can
I deduct the expenses on my tax return?
You may deduct qualified medical expenses you pay for yourself, your spouse,
and your dependents, including a person you claim as a dependent under a Multiple
Support Agreement. You can also deduct medical expenses you paid for someone
who would have qualified as your dependent for the purpose of taking personal
exemptions except that the person did not meet the gross income or joint return
test.
Nursing home expenses are allowable as medical expenses in certain instances.
If you, your spouse, or your dependent is in a nursing home, and the primary
reason for being there is for medical care, the entire cost, including meals
and lodging, is a medical expense. If the individual is in the home mainly
for personal reasons, then only the cost of the actual medical care is a medical
expense, and the cost of the meals and lodging is not deductible.
You deduct medical expenses on Form 1040, Schedule A (PDF), Itemized
Deductions. The total of all allowable medical expenses must be reduced
by 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income. For more information, refer to Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses.
References:
Are there any deductions that can be taken for helping my elderly
mother? She lives on social security and I paid almost $7,600 in her expenses
and bills. She collects approximately $9,600 from social security a year.
These expenses are not often medical or such but rather living expenses.
There are no special deductions for providing money to assist your aging
parent. However, you may want to review the tests in Publication 501, Exemptions,
Standard Deduction, and Filing Information, to see whether you would
be eligible to claim your mother as a dependent.
References:
Can social security tax and Medicare tax be deducted on Schedule
A, as medical insurance or anywhere else?
Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes imposed on employees are not deductible
as medical insurance or pursuant to any other provision.
If you are itemizing deductions on Schedule A, you may be able to deduct
Medicare A & B premiums paid out-of-pocket. These are considered medical
expenses and must be reduced by 7.5% of adjusted gross income.
For more information, refer to Publication 502, Medical Expenses;
and Tax Topic 502, Medical and Dental Expenses.
References:
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