CF Food Deduction as Medical Expense
- Thread starter LouLou
- Start date
believingjesus
Banned
I didn't know about this either. Strange how nobody tells u anything unless u already know about it and ask. Our tax guy has know about CF for years. If u find out something Simba please let me know.
Simba15
Member
Found it:
New chart for 2014:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2014/CostofFoodJan2014.pdf
after I add 20% the total is $362.04. what is the next step? Here are the instructions below:
The yearly average amount on that plan should be 362.04 x 12 = $4,344.48.
Next step is to accumulate 2 weeks of groceries receipts. For example if your receipts totaled $200 for 2 weeks. Your yearly amount is $200 x 26 = $5,200.
Then you take your cost $5200 - $4,344.48 (average cost) the difference = $855.52. The difference is what you can add to your other medical expenses.
I did this back in 2011. I went to the USDA website and got the "Offficial USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food at Home at Four Levels, U.S. Average 2011."
It uses your age - gender group. There are 4 levels, and a weekly cost and monthly cost. You need to decide which level, age group you will use. (It is based on individuals in a 4-person family.) So you need to adjust. ( adjustments rates are on the bottom of the form) For example. a female in the 19-50 age group on the thrifty plan, weekly is $36.20 up to $71.89 on the liberal plan.
For 1 person family you would add 20%. So on the thrifty plan $36.20 *1.20 = $43.44, (new weekly rate x 52 weeks = $2258.88) That would be the average cost for a female in (19-50 age group) in a one person family for a year.
You will need actual receipts for a 2-week period so you can get a biweekly average. (I believe this is what the CFF recommends). So if your actual receipts for two weeks come to $200 x 26 = $5200 (your yearly cost)
Your cost of $5200-2259(Average cost) = 2941 that is the cost over the average person that you should be able to add to your medical expenses.
(This was back in 2011, you need to get the updated form) You will probably want to do this in a spreadsheet. And you might want to do 2 separate biweekly actual receipts averages to see if there is a huge difference. And if you eat out a lot, you probably should use one of the other plans beside the thrifty plan.
For electricity all the machines should have the voltage on the back of them. Your electric bill should have the rate they charge. Then decide how much you use them daily etc. From that you should be able to figure its cost.
I used actual receipts for 2 weeks. There are 52 weeks in a year. 2 x 26 = 52. (That is where the 26 came from)
The 2259 was a rounded number from $2258.88.
I use rates from 2011. They were from the thrifty plan. I chose the weekly rate of $36.20. (this came from the USDA 2011 form) this rate was for a individual in a 4 person family because I was doing this for an individual in a 1 person family it said to add 20%. so 1.20 x 36.20 = 43.44. That would be the weekly rate for a individual in a one person family. The yearly amount would be 43.44 x 52 = $2,258.88 this is the average amount for a one person eating at home on the thrifty plan. I recommend setting this up in a spreadsheet. I believe at least in 2011, the CFF recommends keeping receipts for a 2 week period and using that to get your average.