Tax Year Prior to 2020: After I entered my medical expenses of around $10,000, TurboTax reports that my expenses are over $46,000. Why?

[DawnC]

It could be a typo on one of your entries.  Where do you see the 46K because you could be looking at the total of all of your itemized deductions?     Verify the amounts by looking at the Medical Expenses Worksheet.  It will detail all of your entries in one place so you can see where the numbers are coming from.  Click on Forms in the upper right corner and scroll down the list of forms until you see, then click on it.  

[hbergh]

As a test, I removed all of my medical expenses and TurboTax says my total Medical Expenses are $36,268.  Something is really wrong.  I'm seeing this amount on the page that show all deductions.

[VictorW9]

Please provide additional information on your question. Without further information, I believe the amount of  $36,268 you are seeing is more than likely the total schedule A amount.

[hbergh]

From my forms option is found that the Medical Expenses of $36,268 came from my Medicare Premiums.  I didn't know these premiums were included in my overall Medical Expenses.

[VolvoGirl]

You paid 36,000 for premiums?  That sounds like a lot.  Was that deducted from your SS checks?  Or how did you pay it or enter it?

[hbergh]

Last year the amount of my Medicare Premiums applied to my Medical Expenses total was only about one-fifth of the the premiums.  Has the IRS law changed regarding this expense since last year?

[VictorW9]

Yes, the premiums are part of your medical expenses but only if your plan premiums are pre-tax. If you have an employer's sponsored or even medicare, the premiums will not eligible for deduction.

[hbergh]

That still doesn't explain why ALL of my Social Security Medicare Benefits (Form SSA-1099) are counted as Medical Expenses for 2019 whereas last year only one-fifth was counted.  Was TurboTax incorrect last year or is it incorrect this year?

[VolvoGirl]

The benefits that are in box 5 on the SSA-1099?.  It should only be the Medicare part B listed in the deductions on the left side. Did you enter the net benefits in box 5 in the wrong place or also in the deduction box?

[VolvoGirl]

Go back and delete the SSA-1099 and re enter it.  Check all the boxes you are filling in.  You must have entered the wrong amount in one.  I think the most you pay for Medicare is like $200 per month.  Maybe up to 500 if you have high other income.  That's only like $6,000 for a year.  Or did you miss a decimal point or misplaced it?

[hbergh]

Thank you.  Yes, I read and entered the incorrect amount for my Medicare Part B from my SSA-1099.  Now my Medical Expenses will be understandable.  I probably would have found this error myself but you help isolate it faster.  Thanks again!

[VolvoGirl]

Whew!  Great, thanks for letting me know you found it.