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Are medical expenses for grandchildren deductible?

By Matthew Miller

Grandchildren may incur significant medical expenses if they are disabled, have a severe medical condition or suffer a significant injury. You can deduct the amount that you pay for medical expenses, including insurance premiums. The amount must be sent directly to the healthcare provider rather than to the grandchild.

Can you deduct medical expenses you pay for someone else?

You can deduct the medical expenses you paid that were incurred by you, your spouse or someone who was your dependent at the time. A dependent is a child or other qualifying relative.

Can a son claim medical expenses for his parents?

If the son can establish that he provides more than half of their support, then, despite the fact that he lives thousands of miles away in a different country, he may claim a deduction for all of the medical expenses he paid for his parents even though he does not claim them as dependents and his parents file their own separate tax return.

Can you deduct medical expenses of a dependent?

You can deduct the medical expenses you paid that were incurred by you, your spouse or someone who was your dependent at the time. Though we no longer can take dependent exemptions on our tax returns, the definition of a dependent continues to be used in this and other circumstances. A dependent is a child or other qualifying relative.

What kind of medical expenses can you deduct on a 1040?

You figure the amount you’re allowed to deduct on Schedule A (Form 1040). Medical care expenses include payments for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or payments for treatments affecting any structure or function of the body. Deductible medical expenses may include but aren’t limited to the following:

How much can I deduct for my mother’s medical expenses?

Suppose your client’s mother annually receives $10,000 in Social Security benefits and earns $4,500 from her investments. In 2014, the client paid Mom’s monthly rent of $1,000, for a total of $12,000, and also paid $3,000 of her medical expenses.