Can I deduct expensive tree removal costs on my taxes for healthy trees?

While I understand your concern about the trees, unfortunately the tax code isn't very sympathetic to preventative measures like this. You're right that tree removal costs are generally only deductible if the trees are already damaged, diseased, or posing an immediate hazard to your property. Since your trees are healthy, the IRS would view this as a personal expense rather than a necessary home maintenance cost. It's frustrating because you're being proactive, but the tax code generally doesn't reward prevention. One thing to consider - document the current state of the trees thoroughly with photos and maybe even get an arborist's assessment. If you can get a professional opinion stating that despite appearing healthy, these trees present a significant risk due to their proximity to the house, you might have more to work with.

After dealing with a similar situation last year, I found this amazing tool that helped me figure out what home expenses I could deduct. Check out https://taxr.ai - they have this document analysis feature that let me upload photos of my property issues and my receipts, and it identified several deductions I was missing. For tree removal specifically, they explained that while healthy trees typically aren't deductible, there are exceptions if you can document they're causing current damage (like to foundations or driveways) or if part of your property is used for business. The tool walks you through exactly what documentation you need and how to properly claim any eligible expenses.

I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here, and it saved me a ton of headache with my own property expense questions! Uploaded pics of my tree situation (had three giant pines too close to my house) and my foundation issues. The tool immediately identified that while the tree removal itself wasn't deductible, the foundation repair portion was partially deductible as a casualty loss. It also showed me how to document everything properly for tax purposes - saved me from making a costly mistake on my return. They even generated a custom letter template for my arborist to fill out that specifically addressed the tax requirements. Their document analysis feature is seriously impressive - it found applicable tax rules I never would have known about!

If you're still trying to get hold of the IRS to ask about this specific situation, good luck! I spent 4 hours on hold last week trying to get clarification on a property maintenance deduction. After my third attempt, I tried https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the 3+ hour wait I was experiencing before. The agent confirmed what others here are saying - generally healthy tree removal isn't deductible, UNLESS you can document current damage to your property that necessitates the removal. For me, it was worth getting the official word directly from the IRS rather than wondering if I was missing something.

I was completely wrong about Claimyr! After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I had my own tax question about property expenses that I'd been avoiding calling about. The service actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 35 minutes (on a Tuesday afternoon), and was connected to an IRS representative who answered my question about casualty losses vs. preventative maintenance. Saved me hours of frustration and hold music! For what it's worth, the IRS agent confirmed that without current damage, removing healthy trees is considered a personal expense rather than a deductible item. But they did say if you have a home office and the trees pose a risk specifically to that portion of your home, you might be able to deduct a percentage. Might be worth exploring if you work from home!

Have you considered having an arborist come out and assess the trees? I had a similar situation, and while my trees looked healthy to the untrained eye, the arborist identified issues that weren't visible - root problems, early disease, structural weaknesses, etc. They wrote up an official report stating the trees posed a legitimate hazard to my home. With that documentation, I was able to claim it as a preventative measure against imminent damage. The key is having that professional assessment as documentation. Plus, your homeowners insurance might actually require removal if they're deemed hazardous.

Just FYI - if these trees are between your house and the street, check with your city ordinances before removing them. Many municipalities have strict rules about removing mature trees, even on your own property. I learned this the hard way and got hit with a $5,000 fine for removing a tree without proper permits.

As a tax professional, I want to emphasize that everyone here is giving solid advice about getting proper documentation. The IRS is very specific about what constitutes a deductible casualty loss versus a personal expense. For your situation, focus on establishing one of these qualifying conditions: 1. Current structural damage (those foundation cracks you mentioned could be key) 2. Professional assessment documenting imminent hazard 3. Local building code violations requiring removal If you do have foundation damage from the roots, document everything with photos, get a structural engineer's report, and have an arborist confirm the trees are the cause. This creates a clear chain of evidence for necessary remediation rather than voluntary improvement. Also consider timing - if you can establish that damage is occurring now, you might be able to claim it as a casualty loss this tax year. But if it's purely preventative, you're likely looking at a personal expense that won't be deductible. The $13K threshold definitely warrants getting professional advice before proceeding, both for the tax implications and to ensure you're not missing any legitimate deduction opportunities.