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February 26, 2023
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Can I deduct the millage I travel everyday to be with my wife who is in assistant living who had a bad operation on her head and need help each day and companionship

  • February 26, 2023
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Best answer by raynicki

I talked to a person who was doing tax service for the elderly, and he said it was deductible?

1 reply

Employee
February 26, 2023

No, that mileage would not be deductible. 

raynickiAuthorAnswer
March 1, 2023

I talked to a person who was doing tax service for the elderly, and he said it was deductible?

CatinaT1
March 1, 2023

I would say it depends. According to IRS PUB 502:

 

You can include in medical expenses amounts paid for transportation primarily for, and essential to, medical care.

You can include:

Transportation expenses for regular visits to see a mentally ill dependent, if these visits are recommended as a part of treatment.

 

Transportation expenses you can't include.

Travel that is merely for the general improvement of one's health.

 

I would say you could take the position that the mileage is deductible if your visits are part of a treatment plan prescribed by her doctor. It would have to be written into her treatment plan, and you would want a copy of that for your documentation. The other obstacles here are she is not your dependent and is not mentally ill.

 

Medical mileage is an itemizable expense subject to 7.5% of your AGI. This means the medical expense deduction has to meet a rather large threshold before it can affect your return. The amount of medical (including dental, vision, etc.)  expenses that will count toward itemization is the amount that is OVER 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. 

 

Of course, your medical expenses plus your other itemized deductions still have to exceed your standard deduction before you will see a difference in your tax due or refund. 

 

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