I am retired from AT&T I pay for my health insurance thru AT&T, can I claim premiums under self employment? I am now an independent contractor and not a W-2 employee.

[burruel]

I retired and I pay monthly premiums to AT&T to maintain health, dental, and vision care for me and my family.  Since I am now working as a 1099 independent contractor, can I write off my premiums as self employed health insurance deduction?

[MaryK1 · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can deduct health insurance premiums that you pay for up to the amount your net self employment income as a business expense unless you or your spouse has health insurance benefits available from an employer (even if you elect not to purchase the insurance through the employer, if it is offered you cannot deduct self-employed health insurance).  

From the IRS:

You may be able to deduct the amount you paid for medical and dental insurance and qualified long-term care insurance for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents. The insurance can also cover your child who was under age 27 at the end of 2016, even if the child wasn’t your dependent. A child includes your son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child, or foster child. A foster child is any child placed with you by an authorized placement agency or by judgment, decree, or other order of any court of competent jurisdiction.

For more details, see Publication 535 (2019), Business 

[ Edited 3/9/2020 | 5:45pm PST ]