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I paid for my father's prescriptions and eye surgery. Can I claim that?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 1, 2019
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My dad is not my dependent. (He lives on his social security in an Assisted Living facility). Every month, I pay his medications ($177) and when he needed cataract surgery, he didn't have enough money, so I paid for it ($984). Can I claim those expenses?

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Best answer by ThomasM

The IRS allows taxpayers to claim expenses paid for a non-dependent (whose gross income exceeds $4050, which would eliminate them from being a dependent) if the taxpayer provides more than half of the person's support.

In the case of your father, that's the test: support. If you don't provide more than half -- and any medical expenses would be included in that support calculation -- then you aren't allowed to claim the medical expenses. If you do provide more than half his support, then you can.

Here's a link to IRS Publication 502, Medical Expenses, which discusses all aspects of the deduction (note the top of page 4): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf

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ThomasMAnswer

Employee

The IRS allows taxpayers to claim expenses paid for a non-dependent (whose gross income exceeds $4050, which would eliminate them from being a dependent) if the taxpayer provides more than half of the person's support.

In the case of your father, that's the test: support. If you don't provide more than half -- and any medical expenses would be included in that support calculation -- then you aren't allowed to claim the medical expenses. If you do provide more than half his support, then you can.

Here's a link to IRS Publication 502, Medical Expenses, which discusses all aspects of the deduction (note the top of page 4): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf