MargaretL
Expert Alumni

Education

You may be able to deduct special education tuition, meals and lodging as a medical expense (not education expense for the purposes of an education credit/deduction) if school is per doctor's recommendation.  Please see below for details.

IRS says: "You can include in medical expenses the cost (tuition, meals, and lodging) of attending a school that furnishes special education to help a child to overcome learning disabilities. A doctor must recommend that the child attend the school. Overcoming the learning disabilities must be a principal reason for attending the school, and any ordinary education received must be incidental to the special education provided. Special education includes:

  • Teaching Braille to a visually impaired person,
  • Teaching lip reading to a hearing disabled person, or
  • Giving remedial language training to correct a condition caused by a birth defect."

 If you qualify, here's a data entry:

  1. Federal Taxes
  2. Deductions and Credits
  3. Scroll down to Medical, select Medical Expenses - follow the prompts, enter description and amount in Other Expenses