Diapers And Taxes

[happydprdcouple]

My question is can we write off our diapers as a medical expense on our taxes? I spend close to $100 a month on diapers it won't be a huge deduction, but every little bit helps!!

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Only if you want to open up a can or worms and go through the medical mill to prove it

[redneck diaper boy]

My question is can we write off our diapers as a medical expense on our taxes? I spend close to $100 a month on diapers it won't be a huge deduction, but every little bit helps!!

If you have a medical flexible spending account, you can buy your diapers with pre-tax dollars. The money has to be with-held by your employer. It is a use it or lose it situation. I drop 4000 dollars in mine because it saves me a lot of tax money. Our doctor and prescription expenses eat the money up quickly.

[sarah_ab]

as long as it is deemed medically necessary by and MD .... and they write you a prescription

[Eir]

Only if you are truly prepared to defend it as a medical expense

[Paul]

If you live in Canada you can deduct diapers as part of your medical expense claim when doing your income tax return without supporting medical documentation. You must retain your reciepts to either submit with your return when you mail in your return or if requested lated if you efile.

[kootzkoo]

Well in Canada:

It is classified as a non-refundable tax credit (which means, it goes against your income, but not more than what your income is - can only bring your taxes payable to a maximum of zero)

"The cost of diapers, disposable briefs, catheters,

catheter trays, tubing or other products required by the

patient because of incontinence caused by illness, injury or

affliction are qualified medical expenses under paragraph

118.2(2)(i.1). "

you are allowed to claim the amount that exceeds the lesser of $2,052 (for 2011) or 3% of your income

so that means, any amount of medical expenses (all of them combined) above $2,052 or that costs more than 3% of y our income (whichever is lesser) is eligible to claim under Canadian federal tax.

so let's say I made $22,000 in 2011 and incurred $1,560 that year in diapers, I would be able to claim, $900 worth to my income.

22,000 X 0.03 = $660.00

1,560 - 660 = $900

EDIT:

as in the OP's case

he would be able to claim (if he had gross income of 22,000)

$540.00

You can also claim it on your provincial tax return, that amount varies province to province so I won't bother listing it here.

[drynot]

This might be a whole other topic...but what if you wanted to claim diapers as medically necessary but used Bambino diapers pretty well exclusively? Bambinos might be seen more as a fetish item rather than a serious diaper used for incontinence....

I admit freely that I am fairly ignorant when it comes to tax laws.....

[kootzkoo]

This might be a whole other topic...but what if you wanted to claim diapers as medically necessary but used Bambino diapers pretty well exclusively? Bambinos might be seen more as a fetish item rather than a serious diaper used for incontinence....

I admit freely that I am fairly ignorant when it comes to tax laws.....

well i am going to school for accounting, so the more I learn the better

I am not entirely sure on that, what i am trying to figure out is what documentation is required to prove that you are incontinent.

I am not even sure if a prescription is required, if a prescription is required, the only thing that would prevent you from claiming bambino diapers would be if your doctor said you only have "light incontinence" and would suggest you use something for light incontinence..

and it does say, "llness, injury or

affliction"

you can claim it's from affliction

the fact that people use diapers for non-medical reasons and wish to claim them is probably not a huge concern for the Canadian Revenue Agency (or if they are even aware people wear them for fun) the amount of people purchasing and claiming them for non-medical reasons, is probably small enough that it's not something that needs to be addressed.

I'd have to check the Canadian Income Tax Act for 2011 to be sure (i don't have it with me, it's at school) but i am pretty sure, you shouldn't run into trouble claiming bambino diapers (provided the invoice does say adult diapers or adult briefs)

[jeremy12312]

In the US, qualified medical expenses need to exceed 7.5% of your AGI before you start itemizing. So the answer is likely, no.

[kootzkoo]

In the US, qualified medical expenses need to exceed 7.5% of your AGI before you start itemizing. So the answer is likely, no.

We are lucky Canada has it at 3%

but with the 7.5% is that per item or is that combined?

In Canada it's combined - but in the US without govt. healthcare your medical expenses shouldn't your expenses be higher?

It doesn't seem like it should be that hard to reach the 7.5% of income threshold in the US (considering how low income a lot of people are making)

[jeremy12312]

We are lucky Canada has it at 3%

but with the 7.5% is that per item or is that combined?

It's combined here, too.

[dlover49]

As of 01/01/11, FSA reimbursement requires an RX. There are some exceptions such as ins premiums. Vitamins etc were allowed until this year. Part of Obamacare reforms.

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

There is an ironclad rule: When you try to finesse either taxes or medicine, and especially if you try to finesse both in the ame operation, you open up a gallon size can of worms, many of which bite and some of these have a poisonous bite

[WetDad]

What do ironclad poisonous worms have to do with Diapers in Texas?

I haven't used an FSA for several years, but will be going back to that arrangement soon. Anyone who can point to the current regulations on FSA expenses- please do so. It would be very useful for many of us incons.

TIA

[Wetdl]

What do ironclad poisonous worms have to do with Diapers in Texas?

I haven't used an FSA for several years, but will be going back to that arrangement soon. Anyone who can point to the current regulations on FSA expenses- please do so. It would be very useful for many of us incons.

TIA

If you go to kill the worms in your garden and discover they are now over 12 ft long, poisonous, and armor-clad, you had best be wearing a diaper. Doesn't matter what state your in.

[Santiago]

Typically items used to manage incontinence are allowed under an FSA, however you have to check with your specific plan about any further requirements they impose. Some require a doctor's note and others do not. FSA's will become less useful over time it seems as they are adding contribution limits soon, OTC medications are not reimbursable unless you have a prescription, and an ever growing list of requirements. I suspect eventually they will become too burdensome to use...

[froggy]

In the past, the rule was that meds and things that you can buy off the shelf without a prescription are not deductible. However, the solutions for prescribed contact lenses seemed to be. Gut feel tells me that diapers are out of your after tax pocket.

[sarah_ab]

I have an FSA.. i know until last year you could purchase cough and cold medicine and NSAIDS over the counter with it, but much of that has changed, due to people stockpiling... You can still buy first aid supplies and vitamins and minerals without a prescription.. that being said. if you take say tylenol or aleve on a regular basisi for arthritis or headaches etc... and want to use your FSA, just ask your dr to write you a prescription. Most dr's upon hearing that you want a prescription so you can use your FSA card have no problem doing this.

Basically, at any time the FSA company can request a receipt of the purchase to prove it was a medical expense... if it were for something like diapers, wipes, or other misc. medical supplies they can request proof of medical need.. which usually means a prescription..

[DailyDi]

Both GoodNites and Depend are FSA eligible according to KCC.

[Diaper Mike 05]

But new laws require proof of medical need for incontinence products. I just got my insurance information for 2012, and it's listed as covered if medical need only.

[Bettypooh]

If one is willing to converse with their personal doctor, it shouldn't be hard to get their diagnosis of "need" and the requisite paperwork. In my case I haven't yet done that but I am going to. I have a life history of bladder control issues with no specific cause being found or corrected so that makes my need obvious and provable. If audited I'm going to experience a diaper leak in their chair anyway just because I can

Bettypooh

[willnotwill]

OK, let me clarify the current information (much of what was said here is wrong) for the US:

Diapers are only covered (either as medical deduction or as an eligible FSA/HSA paid item) when they are required based on incontinence due to "illness, injury, or affliction." Diapers for babies are not covered. Diapers for those who just wish to play baby or incontinent are not covered. Diapers for the self-induced incontinent probably are not covered. As pointed out earlier, be prepared to defend this. A prescription would be golden. A statement from a treating doctor that you have such an affliction would be fine as well.

Someone brought up vitamins. These are treated in a similar way (and despite jabs at the President, this has *NOT* changed of late). Vitamins and other nutritional supplements have been under the same rules for some time (both again for deduction purposes and for FSA/HSA eligibility). They are only deductible when they are recommended by a physician for a specific condition. So if your doctor writes you a recommendation that you need more Iron, you can go out and deduct (or use your FSA) to buy OTC iron supplements. Again a prescription would be fine, but a written recommendation is all that is required and it's not limited to things that require a prescription to obtain.

As stated, your sched A deduction doesn't start until you exceed 7.5% of your AGI. And no double dipping either. If you buy it from your HSA/FSA you can not put it on the sched A as well.

I keep having to look at the HSA-eligible expenses as I sometimes forget I can use my pre-tax money for these purchases. I bought some eyeglasses the other day and it wasn't until I got home that it occurred to me that they were eligible. If I'd have known I'd have used my HSA credit card for the purchase (makes the bookkeeping easier), but now I'll have to go "cut myself a check" and remember what it was all for at tax time.

[sarah_ab]

I think yoju can submit for a reimbursement to your HSA, just go to their website, fill out the form and submit the form and the reciept from the purchase and they will cut you a check for it...

[honker]

The Doc writes a script for my diapers each month.Also most people cannot write off diapers since most people take the standard deduction. The Gov in USA has made it hard to deduc because of the large standard deduct.