I pay part of my Medicare Part B premium. Is it deductible if I file a standard IRS form?

[captainc3]

My Social Security Benefit does not cover all of my Medicare Part B premium.

[Vanessa A]

No, you would not be able to deduct it if you are taking the standard deduction.  Medicare Part B premiums would be part of medical expense deductions but would only be deductible as an itemized expense. 

[xmasbaby0]

Is your Social Security benefit too low to cover your Medicare premium?   If you are itemizing other deductions such as mortgage interest and property tax you can enter any out of pocket health insurance premiums you paid.   They will have no effect if you are using the standard deduction.

If you receive Social Security benefits, your Medicare is deducted from your SS.   When you enter the SSA1099 for your Social Security, the amount paid for Medicare flows automatically to the medical expense section of the software, so do not enter it again.

MEDICAL EXPENSES

The medical expense deduction has to meet a rather large threshold before it can affect your return. The amount of medical (including dental, vision, etc.)  expenses that will count toward itemization is the amount that is OVER 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You should only enter the amount that you paid in 2023—do not include any amounts that were covered by insurance or that are still outstanding.  Of course, your medical expenses plus your other itemized deductions still have to exceed your standard deduction before you will see a difference in your tax due or refund.

To enter your medical expenses go to Federal>Deductions and Credits>Medical>Medical Expenses

2023 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS

SINGLE $13,850  (65 or older/legally blind + $1850)

MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $13,850  (65 or older/legally blind + $1500)

MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $27,700  (65+/legally blind) )  + $1500 per spouse

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD  $20,800 (65 or older/blind)  + $1850)

[VolvoGirl]

Yes if you have enough Medical to deduct and if you have enough total deductions to itemize.  You can enter it under

Go to Federal
Deductions and Credits
Scroll down to Medical – Medical Expenses

You can only deduct the amount of unreimbursed Medical Expenses you actually paid over 7.5% of your AGI. So it might take a lot to be worth entering. And then all your itemized deductions have to be more than the standard deduction to get any benefit (so you would only be getting the benefit of the amount that puts you over the standard deduction). And since the Standard Deduction is increased more people will not need to Itemize.

For 2023 the standard deduction amounts are:

Single 13,850 + 1,850 for 65 and over or blind (15,700)

HOH 20,800 + 1,850 for 65 and over or blind (22,650)

Joint 27,700 + 1,500 for each 65 and over or blind (29,200/30,700)

Married filing Separate 13,850 + 1,500 for 65 and over or blind (15,350)