Discover the Surprising Truth About Deducting Assisted Living Expenses – Get Your Answers Here!
Yes, you may be able to deduct assisted living expenses if they are related to medical care costs for a qualifying dependent. These expenses may include long-term care services, such as those provided by senior living facilities or home health aides. To be eligible for a deduction, you must itemize your deductions on your tax return and follow the guidelines outlined in IRS Publication 502. Additionally, you must provide financial support payments for the elderly parent care.
Contents
- What Are the Qualifying Dependents for Assisted Living Expenses?
- What Financial Support Payments are Available for Senior Living Facilities?
- How Can Home Health Aides Help with Elderly Parent Care Costs?
- Are Long-Term Care Services Covered by Deductible Expenses?
- Common Mistakes And Misconceptions
What Are the Qualifying Dependents for Assisted Living Expenses?
Qualifying dependents for assisted living expenses include elderly parents, disabled adult children, and a spouse in need of care. To be eligible for tax deductions for assisted living costs, the dependent must meet the eligibility requirements under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). This includes meeting the medical necessity criteria for qualifying dependents, as well as passing the qualifying relative test to determine eligibility for tax deductions. The IRS also allows a dependency exemption amount for each dependent claimed, and requires documentation to prove the dependent status. Family members may also provide financial support for the dependent, which may qualify for tax benefits.
What Financial Support Payments are Available for Senior Living Facilities?
Financial support payments for senior living facilities can come from a variety of sources, including Medicaid benefits, long-term care insurance, veterans’ benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), reverse mortgages, tax credits and deductions, charitable organizations, private grants and loans, employer-sponsored retirement plans, life insurance policies, annuities, home equity lines of credit, retirement savings accounts, and more.
How Can Home Health Aides Help with Elderly Parent Care Costs?
Home health aides can help with elderly parent care costs by providing professional medical assistance, in-home care services, personalized care plans, assistance with daily activities, medication management, meal preparation and nutrition monitoring, transportation to appointments and errands, companionship and emotional support, light housekeeping duties, bathing, dressing, grooming assistance, mobility assistance, fall prevention strategies, cognitive stimulation activities, and end of life comfort measures.
Are Long-Term Care Services Covered by Deductible Expenses?
Yes, long-term care services may be covered by deductible expenses. These expenses may include qualifying medical expenses such as health insurance coverage, Medicare and Medicaid benefits, long-term care insurance policies, in-home health care services, assisted living facilities, nursing home costs, adult daycare centers, home modifications for accessibility, medical equipment and supplies, prescription drugs and medications, transportation to medical appointments, and mental health counseling.
Common Mistakes And Misconceptions
- Mistake: Assisted living expenses are not tax deductible.
Correct Viewpoint: Depending on the individual’s situation, some assisted living expenses may be eligible for a medical expense deduction on their federal income taxes. - Mistake: All assisted living costs can be deducted from taxes.
Correct Viewpoint: Only certain types of assisted living costs may qualify as a medical expense deduction, such as those related to long-term care services or medically necessary treatments and therapies received in an assisted living facility. - Mistake: Assisted living expenses must exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) before they can be deducted from taxes.
Correct Viewpoint: The amount of qualified medical expenses that you can deduct is limited to the amount that exceeds 7.5% of your AGI for 2020 and 2021 tax years; however, this threshold will increase back up to 10% after 2021 unless Congress takes action to extend the lower rate beyond 2021