If you want to deduct the payment for any type of medical expenditure this year, you must be aware of some new rules that apply to these types of deductions because they can affect your return. If you are looking for deductions for medical or dental expenses, you should be familiar with the following guidelines. Gross adjusted income –Your medical expenses must exceed your adjusted gross income by 7.5 percent during the current tax year.
Itemize
You must itemize your deductions in order to claim any medical or dental expenses. These types of deductions do not form part of your federal tax return ‘s standard deduction.
Payments During the tax year–payments made during the tax year 2018 can only be claimed. If you pay by check, the date is usually considered the day you sent the check and not the cash date.
Out of Pocket Costs–You can not claim deductions if any of your payments have been reimbursed by a third party or insurance plan. You can only claim medical and dental expenses for yourself, your spouse or qualified dependent.
Travel–You can deduct travel costs for medical care. These may include items such as public transport payments, tolls, parking or ambulance payments. If you deliver your own transport, the standard refund rate is 18 cents per mile.
No double dipping–You can not deduct the payments if you pay for any medical or dental expenses with a Flexible Spending or Health Savings account. Generally, these payments are from plans supplied with tax – free funds.
