Is the cost of radon testing or remediation tax deductible as a medical expense on my federal tax return or in the state of Massachusetts?

sallyreid5 — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 03:15:38 GMT

We researched this tax issue for you; and unfortunately t...

GeoffreyG — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 03:15:40 GMT

We researched this tax issue for you; and unfortunately the answer to your question is no, not at the present time. Please continue reading, however, for the full details.

Internal Revenue Service Publication 502, “Medical and Dental Expenses,” does not list radon testing or mitigation among the many different medical expenses that can be claimed on Form 1040 Schedule A (Itemized Deductions).

The definition of “medical expenses” provided in IRS Publication 502 is copied below:

“Medical expenses are the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of diseases, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body. These expenses include payments for legal medical services rendered by physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other medical practitioners. They include the costs of equipment, supplies, and diagnostic devices needed for these purposes.

“Medical care expenses must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness. They do not include expenses that are merely beneficial to general health, such as vitamins or a vacation.

“Medical expenses include the premiums you pay for insurance that covers the expenses of medical care, and the amounts you pay for transportation to get medical care. Medical expenses also include amounts paid for qualified long-term care services and limited amounts paid for any qualified long-term care insurance contract."

There is a detailed list of qualifying items that the IRS maintains as valid medical expenses. There further appears to be some interest in adding radon specifically to that list, but as of the writing of this answer (January 2017) no action to do so has been taken. The most recent evidence of the IRS considering radon as a medical expense is in the form of an official letter written in 2013, an Adobe (.pdf) file of which can be viewed here:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/13-0011.pdf

There is no further public information, or evidence, that the IRS has taken any additional steps to add radon to the list of allowable medical expenses.

Similarly, if a medical deduction is not allowed by the IRS, then it will not be allowed either by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Thank your for asking this question.

Re: We researched this tax issue for you; and unfortunately t...

massachusetts1 — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 06:34:12 GMT

Important, valid question. Taking a chance to ask today - Would there be any update to this question? (It's 2024 now)

From Health coverage deduction, or as some category of House "? improvement?" ?

Thank you!

topic Is the cost of radon testing or remediation tax deductible as a medical expense on my federal tax return or in the state of Massachusetts? in Deductions & credits

Is the cost of radon testing or remediation tax deductible as a medical expense on my federal tax return or in the state of Massachusetts?

We researched this tax issue for you; and unfortunately t...

Re: We researched this tax issue for you; and unfortunately t...