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New Member
posted Mar 9, 2024 4:28:07 PM

Can cancer insurance premium be claimed as long term or can it be claimed at all?

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1 Replies
Employee Tax Expert
Mar 9, 2024 4:35:09 PM

Are you self-employed or taking the itemized deduction?

 

Yes, they are deductible, but not as long term care insurance, cancer insurance premiums would be deductible as health insurance premiums if you are itemizing your return.

 

Itemized expenses include mortgage interest, state and local taxes up to $10,000, medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of your AGI and casualty and losses in excess of 10% of you AGI with the first $100 not counting towards the loss.  Your health insurance and all medical expenses are only deductible for the amount that is over 7.5% of your AGI.  This means if your AGI is $50,000, then the amount that is over $3,750 is deductible.  

 

Then your total itemized expenses would need to be greater than your standard deduction below in order to benefit from your insurance premium payments. 

 

The 2023 Standard Deductions are as follows:

  • Married Filing Joint (MFJ)              $27,700
  • Married Filing Separate (MFS)      $13,850
  • Head of Household (HOH)             $20,800 
  • Single                                                     $13,850                                

Blind and MFJ or MFS add $1,500

Single or HOH if blind add $1,850

 

Standard versus Itemized Deduction

 

If you are self-employed, you may also be able to deduct your health insurance premiums as a business deduction. The Self-Employed Health Insurance deduction is limited to your earnings.  Meaning, you cannot deduct more than you earned. This is entered in the business expense section. 

 

Taking Business Expense Deductions