Does expense for Depends for Dementia patient count as additional medical expenses?

melbabachem · ‎June 1, 2019

Dementia patient is wheelchair bound and must use Depends. We spend over $2000 annual on those supplies. Is this part of Other Medical Expenses that can be deducted?

KarenJ · ‎June 1, 2019

According to the IRS guidelines, expenses for incontinence supplies may be tax-deducible if you can show they are needed to relieve the effects of a specific disease. The law is complex and general in guidance.

From IRS Publication 502:

Diaper Service You can't include in medical expenses the amount you pay for diapers or diaper services, unless they are needed to relieve the effects of a particular disease.

I would suggest that you request a statement from the patient's physician regarding the need to relieve the effects of a specific disease.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf

fanfare · ‎June 1, 2019

obviously a disease is involved. We're not talking about a newborn infant here.

Does expense for Depends for Dementia patient count as additional medical expenses?

Deductions & credits

Deductions & credits