Medical expenses - tax deduction question

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mariane
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:16 pm

Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby mariane » Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:39 pm

Treatment costs keep piling up. We are doing our taxes, now.
Can I deduct my hotel expanses after hospitalization at MSKCC? I had to stay in NY 2 weeks to recover after each of my multiple surgeries.
Can I also deduct my husbands hotel's expanses during my hospitalization in NY?
Thank you!
mom of now 14 years old twins, dx @ 40 in 6/2015 with upper rectal cancer, 10+ liver mets, CEA 140
chemo: 8/2015 - 10/2016 - 4xFOLFIRINOX, 2xFOLFOX, 8xFOLFIRI, 10x5FU, HAI pump -12xFUDR
4 surgeries, complete pathological response
CEA<2 since 10/2015
NED since May 2016

I praise God for every day with my family!

peanut_8
Posts: 2340
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 1:31 pm

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby peanut_8 » Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:17 pm

I originally thought the answer to your question was yes, hotel costs would be deductible.

Found this link which seem to confirm, https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/18323 ... -meals-etc

Unfortunately, it seems the deductible rate is low, especially considering NYC standards.

Best Wishes,
peanut
female, diagnosed Jan 14, RC stage 2a, age 56
MSS
April 14, 28 chemo/rad with Xeloda
June 14 adjuvant Xeloda 6 rounds
currently NED

Maddielolo
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:57 pm

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby Maddielolo » Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:49 pm

You may deduct $50/night per person (max 2 people). Not much... but something.

mariane
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:16 pm

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby mariane » Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:11 am

Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. :)
mom of now 14 years old twins, dx @ 40 in 6/2015 with upper rectal cancer, 10+ liver mets, CEA 140
chemo: 8/2015 - 10/2016 - 4xFOLFIRINOX, 2xFOLFOX, 8xFOLFIRI, 10x5FU, HAI pump -12xFUDR
4 surgeries, complete pathological response
CEA<2 since 10/2015
NED since May 2016

I praise God for every day with my family!

Deb m
Posts: 558
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:08 am

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby Deb m » Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:48 am

Yes you can deduct some of you hotel expenses. Also you can deduct a percentage of you food, gas, parking, airfare ect. Anything related to you medical visit. Keep all your food and gas receipts, they add up much more than what you think they would. Also the mileage you travel each time you go for a medical visit of any kind is deductible. We traveled 40 miles one way to the local cancer center where we live, and during those 6 months when he was getting chemo, we kept a tally of the mileage that year for taxes and I couldn't believe the difference it made. Also you probable know that your medical premiums are deductible along with out of pocked expenses.

deb m

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BrownBagger
Posts: 7954
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:56 pm
Location: Central NYS

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby BrownBagger » Mon Mar 13, 2017 12:46 pm

Deb m wrote:Yes you can deduct some of you hotel expenses. Also you can deduct a percentage of you food, gas, parking, airfare ect. Anything related to you medical visit. Keep all your food and gas receipts, they add up much more than what you think they would. Also the mileage you travel each time you go for a medical visit of any kind is deductible. We traveled 40 miles one way to the local cancer center where we live, and during those 6 months when he was getting chemo, we kept a tally of the mileage that year for taxes and I couldn't believe the difference it made. Also you probable know that your medical premiums are deductible along with out of pocked expenses.

deb m


I believe that if you deduct mileage (which I think is fairly generous) then you can't deduct car expenses like fuel and maintenance. The per-mile rate covers that. You can deduct tolls, however, I think. Dentistry, too.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

Deb m
Posts: 558
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:08 am

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby Deb m » Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:11 am

Brownbagger, you are correct, the reimbursement for gas comes by keeping track of the millage you drive. And yes, you can deduct toll fees. It all adds up so fast!

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Jack&KatiesMommy
Posts: 640
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:08 pm
Location: Columbus, OH

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby Jack&KatiesMommy » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:36 am

But remember, you may only deduct those amounts that exceed 7.5% of your total income for the year.
Cynthia
Mommy to Jack (8) now (18) and Katie (4) now (14)
(My Most Precious Things)
Dx 8/11 Stage IV CRC (liver mets) CEA 2,600+
9/11 Folfiri 2/12: Failed Liver Resection
5/12 HAI pump/removed primary
4/13 Liver Resection
8/13-12/15 (10) RFAs lungs
5/17: Upper Left Lobe of lung resected.
02/18: 3 new lymph mets lung
05/18: Keytruda (MSS w/Intermediate TMB): NED CEA: 66.4, 39.2, 23.8, 13, 3.5 1.8, 1.0, 2.8 3.9, 5.0, 5.6, 1.5, .8,

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BrownBagger
Posts: 7954
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:56 pm
Location: Central NYS

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby BrownBagger » Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:31 pm

Jack&KatiesMommy wrote:But remember, you may only deduct those amounts that exceed 7.5% of your total income for the year.


It's up to 10% this year, but I've got that blown away by 4 or 5x. Big box of receipts and other documentation on top of the fridge waiting to get sorted out. My accountant told me that the current mileage allowance is 19 cents per mile. Since I drove to NYC and back at least once a month last year (and a lot more, actually), my mileage deduction is more than $1,200 alone.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

mariane
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:16 pm

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby mariane » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:30 pm

Thank you so much!
Brown Bagger, we counted that even without counting Atlanta expenses last year only we spent roughly over 20k$....
We still go through all the bills...
Yesterday my son complained of stomach pain and vomited. I am taking him to pediatrician today for check up. I hope he is okay. After my cancer story I go crazy.
mom of now 14 years old twins, dx @ 40 in 6/2015 with upper rectal cancer, 10+ liver mets, CEA 140
chemo: 8/2015 - 10/2016 - 4xFOLFIRINOX, 2xFOLFOX, 8xFOLFIRI, 10x5FU, HAI pump -12xFUDR
4 surgeries, complete pathological response
CEA<2 since 10/2015
NED since May 2016

I praise God for every day with my family!

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BrownBagger
Posts: 7954
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:56 pm
Location: Central NYS

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby BrownBagger » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:58 pm

I hope everything is OK with your son!

I have $20K in dental bills to throw on the medical bill pile this tax year, plus my copay out of pocket, which maxed out early at $6K.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

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juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby juliej » Thu Mar 16, 2017 6:51 pm

BrownBagger wrote:
Jack&KatiesMommy wrote:But remember, you may only deduct those amounts that exceed 7.5% of your total income for the year.

It's up to 10% this year, but I've got that blown away by 4 or 5x. Big box of receipts and other documentation on top of the fridge waiting to get sorted out. My accountant told me that the current mileage allowance is 19 cents per mile. Since I drove to NYC and back at least once a month last year (and a lot more, actually), my mileage deduction is more than $1,200 alone.


And I've got over $4,000 in airline tickets in addition to mileage to the airport and back home! :shock:

I hate the "$50 per day" limit for lodging. That's insane when you pay NYC room prices to stay there.

Isn't Cynthia right though - can't we just deduct amounts that exceed 7.5% of our total income for the year?
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

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BrownBagger
Posts: 7954
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:56 pm
Location: Central NYS

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Postby BrownBagger » Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:52 am

juliej wrote:Isn't Cynthia right though - can't we just deduct amounts that exceed 7.5% of our total income for the year?


It's now 10% I believe and while some things can be directly deducted, some, like the hotel charge and meals, are subject to IRS finagling. I just sort out all the receipts, write down the totals in each category as well as other pertinent information (number of hotel nights, number of people involved), and give that list t my accountant. He figures out what the actual totals come to.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.


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