Vitamins as a tax deduction for WLS

From the IRS document:
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html#en_US_publink100014921

Scroll down and click on:

Nutritional Supplements

You cannot include in medical expenses the cost of nutritional supplements, vitamins, herbal supplements, “natural medicines," etc. unless they are recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician. Otherwise, these items are taken to maintain your ordinary good health, and are not for medical care.

My tax deduction will read: vitamins required due to malabsorption secondary to Weight Loss Surgery.

You decide if this is what it means for your taxes. :-)
-j

We won't have enough on medical expensives to declare anything, remember you need to have at least 7% of your income to declare medical.  We did get to do it ONE year but since, nope....makes me so angry, but I will start to save those receipts too, I didn't even think about it.

Thanks for bringing to our attention

Hugs, Diane

Thanks for this.  I just started on my journey and unemployeed  so maybe I can use this for next year.

I read what was written on your thread several times...it seems that you can only deduct a vitamin if your labs (example) come up low on something (example: iron or D)...then you can deduct that vitamin cost to cure an ailment...Is that how I read it??  Brian

I don't think that's correct. I think as long as you have a note from the doctor saying he wants you to take these things due to the condition he's treating you for, you are okay.

Hi Brian,

I read it to mean, if my doctor tells me have have to take them the rest of my life because of malabsorption issues, then they're covered.  It remains to be seen whether the IRS agrees.  I'm willing to find out and present an appeal, if necessary.  Stay tuned. ;-)

---jan---

hoLY cRAP! This is the best news I have heard all day. I just spent over $140 in vitamins... i am going to start saving those dang receipts for sure.


xoxox