Are orthodontic braces tax deductible for my dependent?

Yes, orthodontic braces can be considered a qualified medical expense for tax purposes! Here's what you need to know: The portion you pay with your HSA is already tax-advantaged since HSA contributions are pre-tax. For the remaining amount you're putting on your credit card, you can potentially claim it as a medical expense deduction on Schedule A if you itemize deductions. However, you can only deduct medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). As for how much you'd get back, it depends on your tax bracket and whether your total itemized deductions (including these medical expenses) exceed the standard deduction. For example, if your AGI is $80,000, you'd need total medical expenses above $6,000 (7.5% of $80,000) before you could start deducting. And then only the amount above that threshold counts as a deduction.

I used taxr.ai after struggling with a similar question about orthodontic expenses for my daughter. My regular accountant gave me mixed messages about what I could deduct, so I was pretty confused. I uploaded my receipts and tax docs to https://taxr.ai and they analyzed everything and gave me a really clear breakdown of what portion of my orthodontic expenses qualified for tax advantages. They also showed me how to maximize the benefits between HSA usage and potential deductions. Saved me a ton of research and probably some money too!

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after my previous skeptical comment and I'm honestly impressed. I uploaded my orthodontist's treatment plan and cost breakdown along with my tax info from last year. The analysis showed me I'd be better off using my HSA for certain medical expenses and saving my orthodontic payments for itemized deductions since I had enough other expenses to clear the 7.5% AGI threshold. The breakdown was super clear and I finally understand how to handle these expenses properly. Definitely worth it for complicated medical expense situations!

For anyone dealing with tax questions like this - I know how frustrating it is when your tax preparer ghosts you. I had the same issue trying to get answers about medical deductions. After calling the IRS multiple times and never getting through, I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They got me connected to an actual IRS representative in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks! The IRS agent explained exactly how orthodontic expenses work for dependents and when they qualify as deductions.

Ok I have to eat my words. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr because I've been getting nowhere with my orthodontic expense questions. I honestly couldn't believe it but they got me connected to an IRS representative in about 35 minutes. The agent confirmed that my child's braces can be included with my other medical expenses toward that 7.5% AGI threshold, and clarified exactly how to document the payments if they're split between tax years. This was after I spent 3 weeks trying to get through on my own with no luck. Seriously wish I'd known about this service months ago!

One thing no one's mentioned yet - if your employer offers a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for healthcare, that's another pre-tax option for orthodontic expenses. I used my FSA for my son's braces last year and it saved me a bunch on taxes. Just remember you usually have to use FSA funds within the plan year (some plans offer a grace period).

I went through this last year with my daughter's braces. The ortho charged $6500 and we had to pay most out of pocket. Make sure you ask the orthodontist for an itemized statement for the FULL treatment plan. My ortho was willing to provide documentation showing we prepaid for the entire treatment even though it spans 2 years. This helped us bunch the expense into one tax year so we could exceed the 7.5% AGI threshold.