Senior Health Tax Deductions: Do Medical Expenses Count? 3/28/2024 | By Joy Taylor Kim Clarke Q: What medical bills qualify for tax deductions? A: Taxpayers who itemize their deductions on Schedule A can claim medical expenses not reimbursed by insurance for themselves, their spouse, and dependents. The cost must be incurred primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental disability or illness. But there is a floor. Medical expenses are deductible only to the extent the total exceeds 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). For example, if you itemize, your AGI is $100,000 and your total medical expenses are $9,000, you can deduct only $1,500 of medical expenses on Schedule A ($9,000 – $7,500). The list of eligible medical expenses for tax deductions is broader than most people think. It includes: The basics, such as out-of-pocket payments to doctors, dentists, optometrists and other medical professionals In vitro fertilization Medical driving, or 22 cents per mile in 2023; 21 cents per mile in 2024 Treatment for drug use or alcoholism Health and wellness costs, such as smoking cessation programs, nutritional counseling for a doctor-diagnosed disease, weight-loss programs and certain special food to help with the treatment of obesity, hypertension or heart disease Long-term care costs Certain home improvements to adapt to a disability or illness The cost of a service dog Joy Taylor is editor of The Kiplinger Tax Letter and Kim Clark is senior associate editor at Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine. For more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. ©2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Read more about senior health and saving money on Seniors Guide: How to Save on Prescription Medication Related: Retirement – How to Lower Taxes on Your RMDs The IRS requires owners of traditional IRAs and other tax-deferred accounts to take minimum annual withdrawals starting at age 72. RMDs are taxed as income, so a large withdrawal could vault you into a higher tax bracket. In addition, more of your Social Security benefits could be taxed, you could lose out on certain deductions and credits tied to your modified adjusted gross income, and you could pay higher premiums for Medicare parts B and D. Read more: Read More Joy Taylor Joy Taylor is editor of The Kiplinger Tax Letter. For more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. Kim Clarke Kim Clarke is senior associate editor at Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine.