Form 8853 filing requirements

[GoneGator]

I am assisting relatives (married filing jointly) who each received a Form 1099-LTC for REIMBURSED expenses under a long-term care contract.  When reading the instructions for filing Form 8853 they seem to indicate that the form is required to be filed only if the payments received were per diem or other periodic payments or were accelerated death benefits.  Comments I have read in Turbo Tax help indicate that the LTC payments must be reported, even if not taxable, even though the instructions seem to contradict that requirement.  Turbo Tax prepared two Forms 8853 even though none of the payments were taxable.  It makes a difference because Turbo Tax will not allow the return to be e-filed because there are two Forms 8853 as part of the return.  Can I just not prepare the Forms 8853 as the instructions would seem to indicate?

[RobertB4444]

When you enter the 1099-LTC you can enter it as a reimbursement for medical expenses instead of entering the form.

Go to deductions and credits and scroll down to medical and click start on 'Medical Expenses'.  Enter all of the expenses that your friends had including the expenses for long-term care.  Then enter the reimbursements that were received on the 1099-LTC.  

Your friends will probably not receive a medical deduction because of the reimbursement.  But the amounts will all be entered and you won't have an issue with form 8853 unless the LTC reimbursement is greater than the expenses.

Before you do that go delete all the 1099-LTC information that you have entered.

@GoneGator 

[GoneGator]

Great idea!  Thanks for the assist.