Medical Expense Deduction Calculator
Enter what you paid for medical and dental care and your adjusted gross income. You see how much of the cost is above the share of income that the tax rules set aside.
This is an unofficial estimate from published rules. The deduction applies only if you list deductions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. The IRS explains the rule in its Topic 502 page and in Publication 502.
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- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
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How it works
The tax rules let you count medical and dental costs only above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. So the amount that does not count is income times 7.5%, and the deduction is your costs minus that amount, or zero if costs are lower.
The last line multiplies the deduction by a tax rate you enter, to show roughly how much tax it could lower. Costs paid back by insurance do not count, so enter only what you paid yourself.
Worked example
With $90,000.00 of income, the first $6,750 of medical costs does not count. If you paid $12,000.00, the deduction is $5,250. At your tax rate, that could lower your tax by about $1,155.
Questions
Which costs count?
Care and treatment for you, your spouse and your dependents, plus things like insurance premiums you paid yourself and travel to get care. IRS Publication 502 has the full list.
Why is the answer often zero?
Most people have medical costs below 7.5% of their income, so nothing is left after the cut-off. Large bills in one year are what make the deduction matter.
Do I need to itemize?
Yes. The deduction is part of Schedule A. It helps only when your itemized total is more than your standard deduction, so compare the two before you decide.
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