Deducting Medical and Dental Expenses

If you plan to claim a deduction for your medical expenses, there are some new rules this year that may affect your tax return. Here are eight things you should know about the medical and dental expense deduction:

1.  AGI threshold increase  Starting in 2013, the amount of allowable medical expenses you must exceed before you can claim a deduction is 10 percent of your adjusted gross income.  The threshold was 7.5 percent of AGI in prior years.

2.  Temporary exception for age 65  The AGI threshold is still 7.5 percent of your AGI if you or your spouse is age 65 or older.  This exception will apply through Dec. 31, 2016.

3.  You must itemize  You can only claim your medical and dental expenses if you itemize deductions on your federal tax return.  You can’t claim these expenses if you take the standard deduction.

4.  Paid in 2013  You can include only the expenses you paid in 2013.  If you paid by check, the day you mailed or delivered the check is usually considered the date of payment.

5.  Costs to include  You can include most medical or dental costs that you paid for yourself, your spouse and your dependents.  Some exceptions and special rules apply.  Any costs reimbursed by insurance or other sources don’t qualify for a deduction.

6.  Expenses that qualify  You can include the costs of diagnosing, treating, easing or preventing disease.  The cost of insurance premiums that you pay for policies that cover medical care qualifies, as does the cost of some long-term care insurance.  The cost of prescription drugs and insulin also qualify.  For more examples of costs you can deduct, see IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses.

7.  Travel costs count  You may be able to claim the cost of travel for medical care.  This includes costs such as public transportation, ambulance service, tolls and parking fees.  If you use your car, you can deduct either the actual costs or the standard mileage rate for medical travel.  The rate is 24 cents per mile for 2013.

8.  No double benefit  You can’t claim a tax deduction for medical and dental expenses you paid with funds from your Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Spending Arrangements.  Amounts paid with funds from those plans are usually tax-free.