@dmertz wrote:
No. The money that you gave to your mom is a gift and is not deductible.
If the distribution was an early distribution and your mom is a qualifying relative claimed as a dependent on your tax return and you paid your mom's medical bills, you could treat whatever amount would appear on line of your Schedule A (whether or not you actually itemize and file Schedule A) as exempt from the 10% early-distribution penalty. There are also other penalty exceptions that might apply, but are probably less likely: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-tax-on-early-distri...
I believe that distributions from an inherited IRA are automatically exempt from the 10% penalty no matter what the money is used for, aren't they?
I agree, however, that the money is otherwise a gift, and not deductible as a gift. If you could claim your parent as a tax dependent, you can list their medical expenses as schedule A itemized deductions and possibly get a partial benefit.
Also, you can deduct medical expenses you paid for your mother even if she is not your tax dependent, if you provided more than half her total financial support for the year (food, housing, travel, clothing, medical, etc.)
Why did you inherit the IRA from your father and not your mother? You may want to see an elder law attorney if you need to make plans for your mother's medical and financial needs, instead of trying to do it on your own. Some of the rules are very tricky.
