[norm41]

I was told yesterday that if you are celiac then you can write off the food you buy.i was told that you fall under the disability act, anyone know if this is true or not

[AndreaB]

As far as I know it is for the difference between say a regular loaf of bread and the gluten free bread. You need to keep all receipts and you need to pass the deductible limit for health I think (on itemized deductions form).

[new to LI]

i was told the samething six mounths ago from my Accountant. i have been saving my Receipts, but i don't know how much i will be able to write off.

[tarnalberry]

It is possible, in theory, to do so, but there are a number of caveats:
1) you can only deduct the increased price of gluten-free foods, which means you have to keep receipts and deduct the cost of "normal" foods
2) you've got to keep meticulous records and have a doctor's letter on file with the IRS
3) realize that this is a big red flag for the IRS to audit you
4) it may or may not last - many accountants debate how legit it is, as specialty gluten-free foods are not *required* (there are lots of naturally gluten-free foods that we can live off of instead)
5) you have to be itemizing your medical expenses (that is, they must be over 7.5% of your AGI)

[Franceen]

The "over 7.5% of AGI" makes it impossible for me to deduct anything at all for medical.

But if that isn't a barrier......then

Your Dr. probably has to "prescribe" gluten-free items - probably itemized. Those foods have to be NECESSARY for your health. Probably none are. My accountant told me that it can't really be done because of that. Sugar-Free substitutes are not deductible for diabetics (my husband is diabetic). Same thing: there are plenty of low-glycemic foods that are in a regular diet and no Dr. will "prescribe" substitutes as necessary for health (implied is that there is a detrimental effect to your health if you don't have the specific foods).

Unfortunately for us Celiacs the "removal of a food group" does not constitute medical treatment - it's JUST FOOD!! (but that's the GOOD thing about Celiac- the treatment is non-medical unlike Cancer or heart conditions, or kidney disease).

If I HAD to have a disease, I'd pick Celiac over many other awful diseases, and the heck with the taxman!

[bbuster]

It is possible, in theory, to do so, but there are a number of caveats:
1) you can only deduct the increased price of gluten-free foods, which means you have to keep receipts and deduct the cost of "normal" foods
2) you've got to keep meticulous records and have a doctor's letter on file with the IRS
3) realize that this is a big red flag for the IRS to audit you
4) it may or may not last - many accountants debate how legit it is, as specialty gluten-free foods are not *required* (there are lots of naturally gluten-free foods that we can live off of instead)
5) you have to be itemizing your medical expenses (that is, they must be over 7.5% of your AGI)
[/quote]


I work for a large corporation with a health care reimbursement account (HCRA), where you can annually put aside non-taxable money into an account to pay for qualified medical expenses. By following the rules of our plan, which follows IRS rules as to what qualifies, I am getting reimbursements for gluten-free product expenses to the extent that they exceed regular expenses. The basics are: 1) keep receipts for gluten-free food and "regular" and subtract the difference 2) have a doctor's letter on file explaining the medical necessity. To keep it simple I only get reimbursement for flours, baking mixes and Xanthan gum (I make most things homemade - we don't buy gluten-free bread, etc.). I checked this out with both our Plan Administrator and my sister, who works for the IRS.

It's not a tax deduction (I could never meet the 7.5% AGI requirement) but it reduces my taxable income by a few hundred dollars. Of course you have to have the plan, and carefully estimate how much to put into it each year, because it is a use-it or lose-it account each year. But it helps us!