Deducting diaper-related expenses on your taxes?

[Draugr]

Had a question about this. Given that I have started wetting the bed, after a multi-year dry spell, am I able to deduct the cost of my diapers on my tax form?

My specific case is, however...the only medical documentation I have on this is back from before my problem stopped, a little after thirteen years of age. Would I need a new barrage of medical testing (expensive...and humiliating, given I would rather keep this concealed from my family, as they would not handle it well), in order to claim them as a medical expense?

Just curious on this. If I can save money...I want to save money.

[Tungsten]

You can only itemize medical expenses if you spend more than 7.5% of your adjusted income on those expenses. That's a lot of diapers.

[irataliw]

Lol, I looked into the same thing. Got the same result. Short of being issued them by your insurance. You are on your own.

[woofcub]

same here. even if the insurance company will pay for them be prepared to have a small selection of crappy brands. best that you might be able to do is include them as some sort of living expense.

[Draugr]

You can only itemize medical expenses if you spend more than 7.5% of your adjusted income on those expenses. That's a lot of diapers.

This year, however, I've got some *massive* job-related expenses that I am writing off and I'm pretty sure they would total up to 7.5% or more (they combine, right? I can include job-related expenses, and medical expenses, in one boat?). Adding the diapers in would just be icing on the cake, now that they're a medical expense and not a "fetish" expense =/.

I'm not sure if it's better to do that or take the standard deduction, however. I'd have to look into it. But it IS a few thousand (the expenses in total, not just the diapers).

~

Yeah, the last thing I'm doing is going to my insurance company so they can force me to get tons of humiliating and painful tests done, issue me scores of dangerous medications (I do NOT trust incontinence meds, at all), and the finally, presuming none of that worked (it probably would but like I said I don't feel safe doing that to my body), pay for really, really bad diapers that leak all over the place.

:S

I think I'll probably just have to eat the costs, heh.

[bebehuey]

yeah, too bad too, last year I came close. but was about $1000 short.. can I count OTC meds???? should've kept receipts

[mndb19]

three letters FSA

[bebehuey]

still too vague. care to elaborate?

[diapernh]

FSA - Flexible spending account. This is an account that you put money (pre-tax) into. You have certain, specific expenses that you can submit for re-payment. There are stipulations however..
- use it or loose it, what you put in for 2011 has to be used in 2011, or you loose it; you actually have till like april the following year to submit receipts for the prior year.
- you have to save reciepts - cause sometimes you have to send in the reciepts
- no OTC meds - so drugs you get without a perscription are not eligible.

Common things that are eligible:
- co-pays for doctor visits
- deductibles, whatever insurance does not pay, my FSA could pay for. (what my vision ins does not pay, or what my portion of CPAP supples come up to)
- Medical supplies - band-aids, bandages, slings, etc... (this is what diapers full under)
Basically, if it is medically related, you likely can use you FSA

Have I had issues with my FSA paying for diapers, in prior years - no; this year - kinda. You have to keep in mind that when you have to send in reciepts for diapers and stuffers, the person who reviews that is human as well. They asked me for a statment of medical need - which was not listed on the list of eligible expenses, it says Diapers - to treat a medical condition with no stipulation of medical documentation being needed.

When I submitted a claim for an order of CPAP supplies, I called and inquired about the denied claim and they re-ran it thru as the original person should have approved my diapers.

[Tungsten]

(they combine, right? I can include job-related expenses, and medical expenses, in one boat?).

I'm neither a tax attorney nor an accountant, but from what I can tell, no.

Search IRS.gov for either Topic 502 or Publication 502, depending on how detailed you want to get. Medical expenses by themselves need to be greater than 7.5% of your AGI, and you only get to deduct the amount that's over 7.5%, at that.

Also, it does specifically mention that diapers and diaper services are excluded, unless they are for treating an illness. Whether bedwetting is considered an illness or not is for you and your accountant/attorney to discuss.