Can I deduct the following?

[ladybug]

Hi,

OK, so my husband and I will be taking deductions this year when tax time rolls back around, and we've been chatting about things we could deduct for health reasons.... Here are the things I have questions about, and am looking for anyone who has taken these deductions and what they had to do/have to take them? (example, do you need an rx for such things?)

1. Bottled water to boil treatment parts: I have to buy bottled water since our water is too hard and leaves white deposits on the nebs. I do not have the receipts, however since I just fill them at those $.25/gallon stations outside of grocery stores. Would it be better if I got culligan or something delivered so I'd have proof? I would ONLY use the bottled water to boil.

2. Gym memberships. Has anyone ever successfully written these off? If I get an rx from my doc for an exercise program, would this, along with receipts, be enough?

Thanks for any info. you can give!!!

 

[Faust]

Good posts. Now that i'm working full time and still disabled, I wonder what all I can deduct. I know it's lame to some, but this is the first "on the books" job I have had, so this whole tax stuff and claims and deductions is all new to me. So any advice would be great. I'll save everything I guess.

 

[Mockingbird]

If you are working full time you will not be considered disabled.

 

[Faust]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Mockingbird</b></i>

If you are working full time you will not be considered disabled.</end quote></div>


So even if I am recognized as disabled by the government, have been receiving SS for a long time and have been reviewed many times and always reaccepted, and i'm on the back to work program, I still won't be able to claim anything for my disability? Seems pretty stupid to me.

 

[BigBee]

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc502.html
">http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc502.html
</a>

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/index.html
">http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/index.html
</a>

These are 2 excellent links regarding itemizing medical costs.

Here's what the IRS says about health clubs (my original post is being edited to account for my poor comprehension the first time I read the regs!! - Thanks Julie!)

Health Club Dues
You cannot include in medical expenses health club dues, or amounts paid to improve one's general health or to relieve physical or mental discomfort not related to a particular medical condition.


You have to itemize on your tax return to be eligible to use medical deductions. An often overlooked one is mileage to/from med appts - which for some people is quite a trip - just make sure you keep really good records.

I'd be happy to answer any questions people might have.

 

[BigBee]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Mockingbird</b></i>

If you are working full time you will not be considered disabled.</end quote></div>

I'm pretty sure that disability status is irrelevent when it comes to what is deductible for medical reasons on one's tax return.

 

[BigBee]

One more thing I thought of:

You can deduct only the amount of your medical and dental expenses that is more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income

So if you have access to a flexible spending plan at work you are usually far better off using that. Not all employers offer it, but if they do, take advantage of it!

If you do use a flex spending account, you can't double dip expenses - i.e. you can't submit your out of pocket medical expenses (OTC drugs are also included, btw) to a flex plan for reimbursement and then claim them on your taxes.

 

[Mockingbird]

All I know is people lose disability status when they exceed a certain number of work hours. Seems pretty basic to me, when you consider the definition of the word disabled. Maybe I'm thinking of something different, though.

 

[Landy]

Possibly Mockingbird meant that you couldn't work full time & still get SSDI??

You can claim all the medical expenses you want, and possibly can claim items you had to buy so that you are able to return to work. These are extreme examples but I'm thinking of wheelchairs, wheel chair ramps, expenses making your car or desk accessible for your disability, etc. I'm not aware of an additional tax exemption just for being disabled unless you're blind--but what do I know???

Also as far as the back to work program--will you only be able to get SSDI for a 9 month trial work period? I thought I remembered reading something to that effect. It's all so terribly confusing to me<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif" border="0">

 

[BigBee]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Mockingbird</b></i>

All I know is people lose disability status when they exceed a certain number of work hours. Seems pretty basic to me, when you consider the definition of the word disabled. Maybe I'm thinking of something different, though.</end quote></div>

I thought SeanDavis was talking about disability affecting what he could deduct on his taxes, which I think all you need is a medical condition to deduct on taxes. That's what I meant - I need to learn to write more clearly <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Faust]

I don't receive SSDI. I claim what my father had already put into SS. And yeah, the back to work program gives your 9 months to see if you can indeed go back to work. I'm not saying I should get some massive assistance or anything, but I do have a terminal, chronic health condition, that due to alternative/natural treatments, have just recently allowed me to start working regularly again. I'm also not making a boatload of money currently. I called up SS and talked to them, and I still qualify for medicare/medicaid/the new perscription drug plan due to me "still being disabled" regardless if I work or not. Just because you are able to work full time, does not negate your disability. Now it will of course cut off financial assistance like SSDI, but that doesn't mean you lose your disability status by the medical definition.

 

[Landy]

Oh, my bad.
I just assumed you were collecting SSDI. I don't know anything about collecting plain ole SS due to disability but am glad it seems that you are still able to get Medicare, the drug program, etc.

 

[Faust]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Lynda</b></i>

Oh, my bad.

I just assumed you were collecting SSDI. I don't know anything about collecting plain ole SS due to disability but am glad it seems that you are still able to get Medicare, the drug program, etc.</end quote></div>


Yeah. Let's say you have a biological parent who a long time ago made a ton of money and put a ton of money into the whole SS system. Then he dies before he retires so he never collects any of what he put into the system. The person has a disabled son who has applied for regular disability. The son is granted what that person put into the system over their life time, just like the son was the one retiring instead of the person who died. Not many people are aware of that, but that's how it works. Normally it would go to the deceased persons wife, but since the son is disabled with a terminal chronic disease, he gets priority. Which is a good thing, because the wife in question was a total turd and has done some real crappy things in her life.

 

[JazzysMom]

Back to the original ????. Your best bet is to check on Julie's website. She has the different logs & forms along with help & recommendatioins for deductions of all sorts. Everything from the extra food we need to gain weight to travel expenses. Its a process that requires organization & thought, but I would think at times well worth it all.

 

[ladybug]

Thanks, Melissa...

I think my initial question got a bit lost in there.... lol (that's ok though). Anyway, I can't believe a gym membership cannot be claimed... I will look into my health insurance though! Thanks!!!

 

[julie]

Lynda, you are correct, what he is collecting is similar to SSDI, just under a parents name. It works similarly.

BTW, medical deductions has nothing to do with anyone having a disability. As bigbee mentioned, it must be 7.5% of your AGI to even be beneficial to you-many people never meet this criteria.

and a gym membership CAN be claimed if it is part of a medical program or medical treatment, which DOES require your doctors prescription/authorization, note that you keep in case you are ever audited.

 

[BigBee]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>julie</b></i>


and a gym membership CAN be claimed if it is part of a medical program or medical treatment, which DOES require your doctors prescription/authorization, note that you keep in case you are ever audited.</end quote></div>

/Looking more red in the face than green....(From the Froggy series of kids books)

I reread the IRS regs - and found that skipping over one little word that makes all the difference - I edited my post above so that my comprehension issues are no longer publicly posted....

Thanks Julie!

 

[julie]

<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Mark and I thought the same thing for years, hence why we never deducted. Until this past year. I decided to print the entire IRS medical deduction NOVEL and guess what I found.... <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Comprehension issues... shall I edit mine so nobody suspects anything? <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">