topic medical deduction in Deductions & credits

medical deduction

lindahogue — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 15:42:20 GMT

While spending the summer in CO I was diagnosed with cancer. We flew back to Houston (our permanent residence) so I could go to MD Anderson Cancer Hospital for my surgery. Please tell me the cost of those plane tickets & the rental car are deductible medical expenses.

Re: medical deduction

Bsch4477 — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 15:48:39 GMT

I think that the IRS would argue that the primary purpose of the trip was to go home as opposed to getting treatment but you are free to argue the contrary.

Re: medical deduction

lindahogue — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 03:14:30 GMT

I wonder if I had mentioned that while we did fly down to Houston for my surgery, we flew back to CO for the remainder of the summer. Would that would have made a difference in the answer I received? We didn't just fly down to Houston for fun. To me that makes a difference but I didn't explain the situation clearly.

Re: medical deduction

Bsch4477 — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 03:24:24 GMT

I suppose you could argue that the primary reason to fly home was to get medical care since you didn’t stay home once you recovered. Certainly if on audit the IRS disagreed, the only downside would be that the deduction would be disallowed and a small amount of interest levied.