I found black mold in my home, for medical reasons this had to be removed immediately. I am highly allergic and landed in the hospital with pneumonia. Deduct on Medical

[pjrandlkr]

The cost of removal was $5000 and does not include cost of repairs

[ChrisJ]

The formation of the mold may qualify as a casualty loss. A casualty is an event identifiable as damaging to property, sudden, unexpected, and unusual in nature.

If the formation of mold is a sudden, unexpected, unusual and the result of an identifiable event that caused damage to your property, it would qualify as a casualty and you may be entitled to deduct the loss for the resulting property damage as a casualty loss.

You are not entitled to a casualty loss deduction if the mold damage occurred as a result of insufficient repairs to or maintenance of your property.

If you enter this cost as a deduction on your return, you will have to provide further documentation to justify this expense as a casualty loss.

However, any eligible/qualified medical expenses incurred as a result of the event at your property should be deductible if you itemize on Schedule A. Qualified medical expenses include:

• Payments to or payments for services to doctors or dentists
• Hospital fees
• Prescription medications
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Miles driven with your car for medical purposes

Go to Search (top right), then type the exact phrase 'medical expenses, sch a' into Ask your question or search TurboTax. Jump to medical expenses, sch a from the results.

[Joan Rickert]

The insurance paid and they wouldn't have if I were negligent, a broken water line is not carelessness. The mold had formed behind the walls where it could not be seen. 

I was locked out until my home could pass a 'mold free' air test, which I had to let them do , before the insurance would pay what they agreed to.

Exactly what do I have to provide turbotax and IRS to prove my claim?

[Joan Rickert]

I am not claiming illness.  My home was padlocked, no one

could enter without special clothing and breathing equipment!

Insurance paid roughly $20,000 and I paid the remainder of approx. $18,000.

What documents do I need to provide turbo tax and IRS  to prove my claim.  I want to gather them chronically before I file?

[JohnW222]

Unfortunately, you're no longer allowed to deduct such a loss.  The answers above are obsolete. 

The deduction for personal casualty or theft losses has been suspended (eliminated) through Tax Year 2025, unless the loss occurred in a federally-declared disaster area and was directly caused by the disaster.

Please see the TurboTax Help articles "What if I have property that was lost or damaged (a casualty loss)?" and “Can I deduct damage to my home?” for more information.