Are Medical Travel Expenses Deductible? Mom Took 35 Bus Trips to Doctors in 2023 - Need Receipts?

You're absolutely right that transportation costs to and from medical appointments qualify as deductible medical expenses! Here's what you need to know: For public transportation without receipts, the IRS is pretty reasonable. They don't expect people to have bus receipts for every trip. What matters is that you can establish: 1) the appointments actually happened, 2) the standard fare cost, and 3) that this was her reasonable mode of transportation. Your documentation plan sounds perfect - print out the appointment records from the healthcare portal and screenshot the published bus fare rates. I'd recommend creating a simple log that lists each date, the destination, purpose, and transportation cost. This creates a clear paper trail even without individual receipts. Remember that medical expenses (including this transportation) are only deductible if you itemize deductions on Schedule A, and only the portion that exceeds 7.5% of your mom's adjusted gross income. So if her AGI is $40,000, you can only deduct medical expenses above $3,000.

After struggling with a similar situation for my dad's cancer treatments last year, I found this amazing tool that solved everything. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze all our medical receipts and appointment documents. It automatically identified what was deductible and created exactly the type of log the previous commenter mentioned. The system actually spotted several travel-related medical deductions I would have missed (like when we had to stay overnight for an early appointment). It sorted everything by date and created a document that linked each transportation expense to the corresponding medical visit. For your mom's bus trips, you could upload the appointment confirmations and the bus fare information, and it would organize it properly for your tax records.

I just wanted to update everyone - I was skeptical about https://taxr.ai but decided to give it a try with my situation (had about 45 medical appointments last year with a mix of different transportation methods). The service was actually super helpful! I uploaded my medical appointment calendar and transit information, and it generated a complete medical transportation log that included all my subway trips even though I didn't have individual receipts. It calculated everything based on the standard fares and linked each trip to a verified appointment. My tax preparer was impressed with how organized it was - she said it's exactly what would stand up to IRS scrutiny if needed. Saved me hours of trying to piece this together manually!

If you're going to claim these medical expenses and they push you over the 7.5% threshold, be prepared for potential questions from the IRS. After submitting similar medical travel expenses last year, I got stuck in endless IRS verification loops. After 8 calls and hours on hold, I finally used https://claimyr.com to get through to a real person at the IRS. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes when I had been trying for weeks. The agent was able to verify my documentation approach for medical travel (which was similar to yours - appointment records plus published fare information) and confirmed it was acceptable. If you do get any questions about these deductions, having a way to actually speak to someone at the IRS makes all the difference.

I need to eat my words from my previous comment. After struggling for literally months trying to get clarification on my medical expense deductions, I broke down and tried the Claimyr service. Within 45 minutes, I was talking to an actual IRS representative who reviewed my documentation approach for medical travel expenses. For anyone documenting public transit costs, the agent confirmed that appointment records combined with published fare information is sufficient - you don't need individual bus receipts. The agent explained they're looking for a "reasonable basis" for the deduction, not necessarily receipts for every trip. The representative walked me through exactly how to document everything to avoid issues. Definitely worth the time saved after my multiple failed attempts to reach someone.

The medical expense deduction can be tricky! I'm a long-time caregiver for my mother and here's what I've learned: For the bus fare documentation, create what the IRS calls "contemporaneous documentation" - make a simple spreadsheet with date, doctor name, medical purpose, and transportation cost. Sign and date it as a declared record. This carries more weight than you might think. Also don't forget other potential medical transportation deductions: taxis, parking fees, tolls, ambulance services, and even meals and lodging if overnight stays were required for treatment. One thing to consider - if your mom is elderly or disabled and the medical transportation was primarily for her care, you might qualify for additional dependent care credits depending on your relationship and support provided.

Don't forget about the medical mileage rate if she ever uses a personal vehicle for appointments! It was 22 cents per mile for 2023.