Did you or anyone in your family have significant medical or dental expenses last year? If you did, you may be able to deduct those expenses when you file your tax return.
The following information will help you consider your medical or dental expenses when you file your tax return.
1. First of all, you must itemize your qualifying medical and dental expenses using Form 1040, Schedule A.
2. On Form 1040, Schedule A, you can deduct medical care expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income for the year.
3. You can include the medical and dental expenses you PAID during the year, regardless of when the services were provided. Make sure you have good receipts or records to prove your expenses.
4. You cannot count any expenses that have been reimbursed to you. Your total medical expenses for the year must be reduced by any reimbursement. Normally, it makes no difference if you receive the reimbursement or if it is paid directly to the doctor or hospital.
5. You may include qualified medical expenses you pay for yourself, your spouse and your dependents. However, check with the IRS or a tax professional if you are divorced or separated because some exceptions and special rules apply to divorced or separated parents, taxpayers with a multiple support agreement or those with a qualifying relative who is not your child.
6. You can deduct expenses primarily paid for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, or treatment affecting any structure or function of the body. For drugs, you can only deduct prescription medication and insulin. You can also include premiums for medical, dental and some long-term care insurance in your expenses. Starting in 2011, you can also include lactation supplies.
7. You may deduct transportation costs that are essential to medical care that qualify as medical expenses. You can deduct the actual fare for a taxi, bus, train, plane or ambulance as well as tolls and parking fees. If you use your car for medical transportation, you can deduct actual out-of-pocket expenses such as gas and oil, or you can deduct the standard mileage rate for medical expenses, which is 19 cents per mile for 2011.
8. Distributions from Health Savings Accounts and withdrawals from Flexible Spending Arrangements may be tax free if used to pay qualified medical expenses including prescription medication and insulin.
For additional information about medical and dental expenses, see Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses or Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans, available at www.irs.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
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