Tax deductions for gluten free food for people with celiac disease?
July 21st, 2010 | 
Author: My wife and 3 children have celiac disease. Can we claim a deduction for having to buy gluten free food? We have not kept receipts. Is there an estimated deduction for this?
No receipts, no deduction.
From publication 502:
You can include the cost of special food in medical expenses only if:
The food does not satisfy normal nutritional needs,
The food alleviates or treats an illness, and
The need for the food is substantiated by a physician.
The amount you can include in medical expenses is limited to the amount by which the cost of the special food exceeds the cost of a normal diet.
Posted in Celiac
2 Responses to “Tax deductions for gluten free food for people with celiac disease?”
No receipts, no deduction.
From publication 502:
You can include the cost of special food in medical expenses only if:
The food does not satisfy normal nutritional needs,
The food alleviates or treats an illness, and
The need for the food is substantiated by a physician.
The amount you can include in medical expenses is limited to the amount by which the cost of the special food exceeds the cost of a normal diet.
References :
So sorry as I know this is very stressful. You MUST begin saving all your receipts. The IRS makes you subtract 7.5% of your adjusted gross income from your medical-health expenses; 10% when figuring alternative minimum tax. You should start a business and then the business related portion of the expenses become deductible. Now, you can deduct none of the expenses in the majority of instances. This is a good thing to get started in. You may have high health insurance premiums. In your situation, I am not sure, but it is certainly worth looking in to. You may be able to deduct quite a bit and 100% of the self-employed health insurance premiums are deductible if you have a business.
References :
IRS publication 535.
http://nextaxpro.spaces.live.com/