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Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:39 pm
by mariane
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!

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:17 pm
by peanut_8
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

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:49 pm
by Maddielolo
You may deduct $50/night per person (max 2 people). Not much... but something.

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:11 am
by mariane
Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. :)

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:48 am
by Deb m
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

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 12:46 pm
by BrownBagger
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.

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:11 am
by Deb m
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!

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:36 am
by Jack&KatiesMommy
But remember, you may only deduct those amounts that exceed 7.5% of your total income for the year.

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:31 pm
by BrownBagger
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.

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:30 pm
by mariane
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.

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:58 pm
by BrownBagger
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.

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 6:51 pm
by juliej
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?

Re: Medical expenses - tax deduction question

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:52 am
by BrownBagger
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.