Gluten Free/ Celiac Deduction

[vortecpowr]

I have a dependent with Celiac, requiring gluten free food. The extra information links within the TurboTax program does not help me figure out where the excess cost is claimed for deduction. So, I need to know if excess cost can still be deducted for 2024 (most recent community info is 2019)? 

If excess cost can still be deducted, which section does that cost go into (again, the help topics within the program do not help)?

Final question is not as simple if this still applies. Gluten Free to regular cost is not an apples to apples comparison. My example will be breakfast pastries, aka Pop Tarts. The gluten containing pop tarts at the store contain 12 pastries (6 packs of two). The gluten free alternative contains 4 pastries (4 packs of one). Gluten containing price for 12 is $1.97, and the gluten free price for 4 is $4.48. The problem is, this price comparison is 12 pastries to 4 pastries. So, 4 of the gluten containing pastries (one third of box) would be $0.66. Would my excess cost on this transaction be $3.82?

[SusanY1]

Yes, you may still deduct this cost if you are itemizing, and if your total medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).  You're doing plenty of math on your own calculating the excess cost, so I would suggest entering this in addition to your other itemized deductions and letting TurboTax determine if it will lower your tax bill. 

The calculation example you gave seems like a perfectly reasonable way to determine your excess cost.  

Enter the excess cost as a medical expense in any of the categories that makes sense to you.  TurboTax asks you various categories to help you remember to capture all of your expenses, but they are added together for your tax return.  
 

Don't forget, too, that you can include mileage driven to go to medical appointments as well in this section of TurboTax.  Sometimes those little things add up in the end!  

 

[Mike9241]

here's a link to the Celiac Disease Foundation

i would say apples to apples is a proper comparison so if gluten-containing food  comes in a pack of 12 but gluten-free in a pack of 4 you would multiply the cost of the 4 by 3 to come up with a comparison

https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/federal-benefits/tax-deductions/