FINANCIAL AID FOR CANCER TREATMENT & WORKPLACE PROTECTION
Help is out there. This guide will assist you in finding it. You are dealing with a lot right now, easing the financial strain of your treatment will help you to focus on healing and getting through your treatments. Don't be afraid or too proud to ask for help. You have been given a serious, life altering diagnosis. You need to take care of YOU.
IRS information from
http://www.cfcancerinst.com/content.aspx?section=supportresources&id=18850#costs
Expensing Medical Costs on Your Tax Return
Even with good insurance, treatment and follow-up care for cancer can incur many out-of-pocket expenses. One way to recoup some of these expenses is to do an itemized deduction for your medical and dental expenses on your tax return. Note that you are only allowed to deduct the amount of your medical and dental expenses that is greater than a percentage of your income, currently 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (this is subject to change). If your income is high or your expenses are low, you might not benefit from an itemized deduction of medical expenses.
The obvious deductible expenses include any medical or dental care costs for you, your spouse (if filing jointly), your child or dependent that were not covered by insurance. Any out-of-pocket medical expense that was reimbursed by insurance is not deductible. Other obscure expenses that are deductible include acupuncture, therapeutic massage, chiropractic medicine, contact lenses, eye glasses and laser eye surgery. Cosmetic or illegal surgeries are not deductible.
If your treatment requires travel, transportation costs for travel by bus, taxi, train or plane are deductible. If traveling by car, you can expense the actual cost for oil and gas or allot 12 cents per mile. In either case, include parking fees and tolls. Lodging, but not meals, can also be deducted while traveling for the explicit purpose of medical treatment. Allowable lodging expenses may not exceed $50 per night per person.
Other miscellaneous expenses you should keep track of and are allowed to deduct include medical conferences, prescription medication (including birth control pills), artificial limbs, wigs and nursing services. Nutritional supplements and household help other than nursing are not currently deductible.
By keeping track of expenses and deducting them on your tax returns, you may be able to partially recover some of the out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by your insurance. For more information on deducting medical and dental expenses look at Publication 502 and the instructions for Schedule A of form 1040 at http://www.irs.gov
or see your accountant.
Help is out there. This guide will assist you in finding it. You are dealing with a lot right now, easing the financial strain of your treatment will help you to focus on healing and getting through your treatments. Don't be afraid or too proud to ask for help. You have been given a serious, life altering diagnosis. You need to take care of YOU.
IRS information from
http://www.cfcancerinst.com/content.aspx?section=supportresources&id=18850#costs
Expensing Medical Costs on Your Tax Return
Even with good insurance, treatment and follow-up care for cancer can incur many out-of-pocket expenses. One way to recoup some of these expenses is to do an itemized deduction for your medical and dental expenses on your tax return. Note that you are only allowed to deduct the amount of your medical and dental expenses that is greater than a percentage of your income, currently 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (this is subject to change). If your income is high or your expenses are low, you might not benefit from an itemized deduction of medical expenses.
The obvious deductible expenses include any medical or dental care costs for you, your spouse (if filing jointly), your child or dependent that were not covered by insurance. Any out-of-pocket medical expense that was reimbursed by insurance is not deductible. Other obscure expenses that are deductible include acupuncture, therapeutic massage, chiropractic medicine, contact lenses, eye glasses and laser eye surgery. Cosmetic or illegal surgeries are not deductible.
If your treatment requires travel, transportation costs for travel by bus, taxi, train or plane are deductible. If traveling by car, you can expense the actual cost for oil and gas or allot 12 cents per mile. In either case, include parking fees and tolls. Lodging, but not meals, can also be deducted while traveling for the explicit purpose of medical treatment. Allowable lodging expenses may not exceed $50 per night per person.
Other miscellaneous expenses you should keep track of and are allowed to deduct include medical conferences, prescription medication (including birth control pills), artificial limbs, wigs and nursing services. Nutritional supplements and household help other than nursing are not currently deductible.
By keeping track of expenses and deducting them on your tax returns, you may be able to partially recover some of the out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by your insurance. For more information on deducting medical and dental expenses look at Publication 502 and the instructions for Schedule A of form 1040 at http://www.irs.gov
or see your accountant.
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