Deducting medical expenses for my partner on my return

[macman603]

My partner and I are not married and each file single. I don't claim her as a dependent although I pay for more than half of her expenses. Her only income is social security, an IRA, dividends and capital gains from mutual funds. I pay her medical insurance and health expenses. Can I deduct the medical expenses on schedule A? If so, do I have to take her as my dependent.

[DanP0428]

You claim these expenses legally you will either need to take her as your dependent, if she qualifies, or marry her.

[VolvoGirl]

No.  And it might not even be worth it to deduct.  Do you itemize deductions or take the Standard Deduction?  You can only deduct the amount of unreimbursed Medical Expenses you actually paid over 7.5% of your AGI. 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.

If you get married you get double the Standard Deduction as for Single.  

[macman603]

I have enough deductions to itemize without her medical, so this would increase my deduction. I was a few hundred dollars short of the 7.5% without her and would be way over with her expenses.