Canadian Tax Return Question...

[McDeath_the_Mad]

Hi Dopers, Stainz and I are getting ready to do our taxes this year and we have a question about medical expense deductions.

First off, Stainz was on mat leave for a year and we rented a breast pump. We were told we may be able to claim the rental as a deduction, is this true? This rental amounted to ~$600 CAN. If we can claim this, how do we do it?

I browsed the Revenue Canada website and thought I found something, but it said you cannot claim any medical expenses if your combined yearly net income is $42,000 or more. This doesn’t sound right, is it?

If we can’t claim the breast pump rental, next year I need to claim ~$4,200 in dental surgery that I had this January and I’ll be choked if I can’t claim it because Stainz and I make over $42,000 a year.

Can anybody enlighten us?

Thanks…

MtM

[Sunspace]

Oddly, I just ran into this.

I was doing my taxes online at Ufile.ca, and as a test, I added $1000 for my counseling. (I didn’t yet know the exact number.)

The system spat it out with a note that medical deductions may only be claimed if they total more than 3% of your taxable income. (I make over 50k.) The system also indicated that I would have to pay abput $200.

I tried again with $2000. The system accepted it and indicated that I would have a small refund.

I learned the amount today: around $1600. Whether or not I get a refund is uncertain. It’s gonna be close in my case.

I highly-recommend Ufile.ca. It lets you perform experiments and put in partial info as you receive it, and you don’t have to have anything other than a browser with the right accessories on your computer. It’s inexpensive as well. $15.00.

[Canadjun]

I’ve claimed medical expenses with a taxable income more than $42,000 per year. I’ve never heard of a limit of that sort.

@Quicktax 2006 Help

Your expenses must total more than 3% of your net income or $1,884, whichever is less.

This is a list of the more common medical expenses that you can claim, provided you were not reimbursed for them (for example by your employer or a private insurance or drug plan):

payments to a medical doctor, dentist, nurse, or certain other medical professionals, or to a public or licensed private hospital;
payments for prescription medicines and drugs;
dental services (including x-rays, fillings, extractions, oral surgery, dentures, and tooth straightening);
ambulance charges to or from hospital;
premiums paid to private or non-government health services plans (other than those paid by an employer);
artificial limbs, aids, and other devices and equipment (including artificial eyes and limbs, iron lung, a rocking bed for poliomyelitis victims, wheelchairs, crutches, spinal braces, a brace for a limb, ileostomy or colostomy pads, a truss for a hernia, laryngeal speaking aids, hearing aids, pacemakers, an artificial kidney machine, and certain prescription medical devices;
repairs to and replacement batteries for the above;
laboratory tests;
laser eye surgery, prescription eyeglasses, or prescription contact lenses;
hospital services (including anaesthesia, oxygen masks/tents, vaccines, and x-rays);
amounts paid for attendant care, or care in an establishment, provided no one claimed the disability amount for the person receiving the care (see Attendant care for individuals who do not qualify for the disability amount);
devices designed to assist in daily living (for example, to enter or leave a bathtub or shower);
special telephone devices to help people who are hearing-impaired.
expenses relating to guide and hearing-ear dogs;
cost of diabetic testing supplies;
incremental cost of gluten-free food (compared to the cost of non-gluten-free food) if required due to celica disease; and
reasonable travel expenses (such as meals and accommodation), if medical treatment was not available locally.
Note: You cannot claim payments to a provincial health insurance plan (e.g., Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, BC Medical Services Plan (MSP)).

For a complete list of what you can claim as medical expenses, visit the CRA publications Web site at www.cra-arc.gc.ca/formspubs/menu-e.html and get the publication IT-519R2-CONSOLID, Medical Expense and Disability Tax Credits and Attendant Care Expense Deduction.

[GingerOfTheNorth]

This may be of some help to you: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/volunteer/clinics/bc-e.html

I’m sorry I can’t help further. I haven’t had to file Canadian taxes since 2002.

[Sunspace]

Canadjun, I see the lower limit for deductions of $1884. Three percent of my income is less, but still more than $1600. Crap! I can’t claim the deduction!

But then I go down the list and see that I can claim the glasses and contact lenses I bought last year! Over $600! Looks like I can claim it after all and will get a refund after all!

:: sigh of relief ::