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I put a wheelchair ramp and remodeled a bedroom, so we could move in a disabled parent. Are these improvements deductible?

 
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I put a wheelchair ramp and remodeled a bedroom, so we could move in a disabled parent. Are these improvements deductible?

That's going to be complicated, there are a lot of moving parts to consider.

 

First, you can only deduct medical expenses for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents, or a person who could be your dependent except for certain exceptions.  In the case of a parent, you can deduct their medical expenses if they are your tax dependent, or if they are not your tax dependent because they have more than $4700 of taxable income but you pay more than half their total living support.  (Remember that social security may not be taxable, but it does count for the support test, and you must pay more than half their total support.)

 

Then, you can only deduct remodeling costs to the extent they don't increase the fair market value of the home.  Remodeling that increases the value of the home is added to your cost basis, and may reduce your capital gains when you sell, but is not an immediately deductible medical expense.  The IRS has a list of accommodations that they consider do not improve the value of the home and are deductible.  Improvements that are not on this list will have to be considered individually, as to whether they partially improve the resale value of the home.  

 

 

 

Capital Expenses

You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay for special equipment installed in a home, or for improvements, if their main purpose is medical care for you, your spouse, or your dependent. The cost of permanent improvements that increase the value of your property may be partly included as a medical expense. The cost of the improvement is reduced by the increase in the value of your property. The difference is a medical expense. If the value of your property isn't increased by the improvement, the entire cost is included as a medical expense.

Certain improvements made to accommodate a home to your disabled condition, or that of your spouse or your dependents who live with you, don't usually increase the value of the home and the cost can be included in full as medical expenses. These improvements include, but aren't limited to, the following items.

  • Constructing entrance or exit ramps for your home.

  • Widening doorways at entrances or exits to your home.

  • Widening or otherwise modifying hallways and interior doorways.

  • Installing railings, support bars, or other modifications to bathrooms.

  • Lowering or modifying kitchen cabinets and equipment.

  • Moving or modifying electrical outlets and fixtures.

  • Installing porch lifts and other forms of lifts (but elevators generally add value to the house).

  • Modifying fire alarms, smoke detectors, and other warning systems.

  • Modifying stairways.

  • Adding handrails or grab bars anywhere (whether or not in bathrooms).

  • Modifying hardware on doors.

  • Modifying areas in front of entrance and exit doorways.

  • Grading the ground to provide access to the residence.

 

Only reasonable costs to accommodate a home to your disabled condition are considered medical care. Additional costs for personal motives, such as for architectural or aesthetic reasons, aren't medical expenses.

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