Taxes: what can or cannot be written off?
 

Can anyone advise which expenses can or cannot be written off for tax purposes? Had surgery, flight, hotel, local doctor expenses, medication expenses, x-rays, MRIs, emergency visits, kids' medical expenses. Can this all be bundled up and claimed?

Many thanks in advance!

Everything directly medical can be claimed in excess of 10% of your adjusted gross. Hotel costs can be claimed but it's something on the order of $50 per day per patient, max. Travel costs can also be claimed, including driving miles to and from all of the appointments.

Obviously, the more you claim, the more likely you'd make a mistake or set a red flag for questions. That said, I'd suggest you consider something like what we do: create a justification package. Every expense gets a receipt in the package. Include driving directions to justify mileage or airline receipt for your tickets. Also, include a brief bio of the surgeon you flew to see for surgery so it's obvious you weren't just traveling for a European vacation. Basically, create a pile of paper you could use to sell the idea to a semi-hostile auditor then claim only the items you feel you could justify from that pile.

Thank you
 

Thank you for your tips. I wonder if anyone in the US has been audited, and how did it go? Can someone share their experiences?