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Can and how do I include my wife's medicare premium expense in tt-2017 if it is paid directly from her checking account and does not appear on her 1099-r?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 5, 2019
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TurboTax Free Edition Online

Best answer by xmasbaby0

You enter it under medical expenses:

MEDICAL EXPENSES

The medical expense deduction has to meet a rather large threshold before it can affect your return. The amount of medical expenses that will count toward itemization is the amount that is OVER 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You should only enter the amount that you paid in 2017—do not include any amounts that were covered by insurance or that are still outstanding. 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.

To enter your medical expenses go to Federal>Deductions and Credits>Medical>Medical Expenses

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xmasbaby0Answer

Employee

You enter it under medical expenses:

MEDICAL EXPENSES

The medical expense deduction has to meet a rather large threshold before it can affect your return. The amount of medical expenses that will count toward itemization is the amount that is OVER 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You should only enter the amount that you paid in 2017—do not include any amounts that were covered by insurance or that are still outstanding. 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.

To enter your medical expenses go to Federal>Deductions and Credits>Medical>Medical Expenses

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

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fjsoffeyAuthor

Thanks, but this did not answer my question.

rjs

Employee

When you posted your question you selected TurboTax Free Edition from the list indicating what product you are using. See the product indicator to the right of your screen name at the top of the question. But you cannot claim medical expenses, or any itemized deductions, in Free Edition. You would have to upgrade to Deluxe or higher, or use any edition of the CD or download TurboTax software.

Before you upgrade, reread xmasbaby0's first answer. Even with your wife's Medicare premiums included, your medical expenses might not be enough to get any deduction at all, or your total itemized deductions might still be less than your standard deduction. In either of those cases, entering your wife's Medicare premiums will not have any benefit.

Any medical insurance premiums that you pay, such as your wife's Medicare premiums, can be included in your medical expenses. If you do want to enter medical expenses, here's how to enter them in TurboTax.

Click the Federal Taxes tab.
Click Deductions & Credits.
Click "I'll choose what I work on" or "Jump to a full list."
On the screen "Your 2017 Deductions & Credits," scroll down to the "Medical" section.
Click the Start, Update, or Revisit button for "Medical Expenses."

Only unreimbursed medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of your AGI are deductible. Enter the full amount that you paid. TurboTax will subtract the percentage of your AGI. In addition, the medical expenses will not make any difference in your tax unless your total itemized deductions are more than your standard deduction.

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Anonymous

why do you mention 1099-R - they report retirement distributions.

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fjsoffeyAuthor

My wife is a retired US Gov't employee who receives medicare benefits. My understanding is that if her medicare premiums were paid from her government pension, the premiums would be reported on her 1099-r. Her medicare premiums are deducted directly from her checking account.