How do I file medical deductions when filing married filing separately

[35lehigh]

I only have combined total of medical expenses of $6700. Not mine separate

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

When you file married filing separately, both of you must itemize, or both use standard deduction.  Medical deductions are itemized deductions, of course.  So you and your spouse have to agree on how to divide the deduction--one possible way would be for each of you to use your own paid medical expenses, or you could divide the medical expenses you paid 50-50.  If you are filing separately, you have to mutually agree on each of the itemized deductions as to who claims what. There cannot be any "double dipping."  If you are in a community property state--then you have to follow the rules strictly for community property.

Why do you want to file separately?

Married Filing Jointly is usually better, even if one spouse had little or no income. When you file a joint return, you and your spouse will each receive the $4000 personal exemption, plus the married filing jointly standard deduction of $12,600 (add $1250 for each spouse over the age of 65).  You are eligible for more credits including education credits, earned income credit, child and dependent care credit, and a larger income limit to receive the child tax credit. 

If you choose to file married filing separately, both spouses have to file the same way—either you both itemize or you both use standard deduction. Your tax rate will be higher than on a joint return. Some of the special rules for filing separately include: you cannot get earned income credit, education credits, or deductions for student loan interest. A higher percent of your Social Security benefits may be taxable.  In many cases you will not be able to take the child and dependent care credit.  If you live in a community property state, you will be required to provide additional information regarding your spouse’s income.  If you are using online TurboTax to prepare your returns, you will need to prepare two separate returns and pay twice.

[noodad]

There's nothing stopping a couple from deciding that one of them will pay all of the family's medical expenses, right?

In my situation, I expect that for various reasons our medical expenses this year will be much higher than they've been for other years. So, my plan for this year is, since my wife's income is significantly higher than mine, that I will pay all of our medical expenses this year, and file separately. Our expected medical expenses for the year will add up to more than 10% of my separate expected AGI. I even took some large medical bills from the last few months and delayed paying them until today for this reason. All seems like a perfectly legit strategy to me.

I realize that I'll be receiving no deduction at all for that first 10%, but so be it.

I also have some money in an HSA currently, and am still contributing pretax money to it, but I'll plan to not use it for any expenses this year, since I can save it for future years when (I hope) our medical expenses will be a little lower and use those funds then and I will likely at that point have gone back to married filing jointly as well