Primrose Tax Write-Offs

The IRS issued new guidance on the tax rules on long-term care services and insurance in early 1997. For this year, the following rules apply. Please check with your tax preparer for details.

2019 Publication 502 IRS

Topic 502 – Medical and Dental Expenses

If you itemize your deductions for a taxable year on Form 1040, Schedule A (PDF), Itemized Deductions, you may be able to deduct expenses you paid that year for medical and dental care for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents. You may deduct only the amount of your total medical expenses that exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income or 7.5% if you or your spouse is 65 or older. You figure the amount you’re allowed to deduct on Form 1040, Schedule A.

Qualified long-term care services include necessary diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, curing, treating, mitigating, and rehabilitative services, as well as maintenance or personal care services required by a chronically ill person and provided under a plan of care by a licensed health care practitioner within the previous 12 months as (1) Unable to perform at least two activities of daily living (eating, toileting, transferring, bathing, dressing, and continence) without substantial assis-tance for a period of 90 days due to loss of functional capacity or because of severe cognitive im-pairment, (2) having a similar level of disability as determined in regulations, or (3) requiring sub-stantial supervision to protect themselves from threats to health and safety due to severe cogni-tive impairment.

If you would like to take advantage of these tax deductions, you will need to get a copy of your family member’s care plan or their physician’s report from either the nurse or Jennifer to submit with your taxes. We also have a code sheet to give your tax preparer so that they know how you may qualify.