Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[minidriver 0]

A question about filing taxes, if I may.

My husband says he's done some research and the lap band procedure qualifies as a medical deduction for my 2008 tax return. Did anyone else do that??? Turbo Tax even allowed us to count the cost of flights, hotel, and rental car towards the deduction. I went from having to pay $617 to Federal, to getting $733 back from Federal, just by adding in the medical costs as deductions!!! That just seems crazy, but DH swears it qualifies and is totally legal.

I'm just curious if anyone else used the cost of their surgery as a tax deduction. Wanna make sure we aren't breaking the law somehow!!!

Yes, it is absolutely deductible and I'm sure planning to count mine! And don't forget your fills also!

[jmegirl 2]

Yes, it is absolutely deductible and I'm sure planning to count mine! And don't forget your fills also!

YAY!!! Lucky for me, I haven't had to pay for a fill yet. But my next fill will cost me $15 when I go back to Dr. K because it will have been 3mos past. Thanks so much for the quick reply Mini!!!! I feel better about it now! Before I just thought we were somehow cheating the government LOL. I can't believe it makes that much of a difference!!

[lotzasunshine 2]

So let me tell a funny thing that happened to me today. Ok, not funny, and kinda gross. The last time I had chili, which was in November, I PB'd. So I decide to try chili again today, and I just had my second PB. I will never eat chili again, I SWEAR!! It is the only thing that has made me sick. I don't care how much Protein there is in it. Oh, well. Just needed to vent. Thanks!

BTW~ SO glad that the surgery is deductable!

[minidriver 0]

So let me tell a funny thing that happened to me today. Ok, not funny, and kinda gross. The last time I had chili, which was in November, I PB'd. So I decide to try chili again today, and I just had my second PB. I will never eat chili again, I SWEAR!! It is the only thing that has made me sick. I don't care how much Protein there is in it. Oh, well. Just needed to vent. Thanks!

BTW~ SO glad that the surgery is deductable!

Wow,that's wild. I have no problem at all with chili. Can't eat shrimp though. It just won't go down.

[jmegirl 2]

Wow,that's wild. I have no problem at all with chili. Can't eat shrimp though. It just won't go down.

Hah. I don't have a problem with chili or shrimp, but tater tots kick my ass (and hurt my band)!!! I love how everyone is different! :glare:

For the record, even though tater tots have been one of my favorite things for a long time, I'm actually somewhat pleased that I had them partially get stuck last week. The pain has helped me to swear them off for good! :huh2:

[minidriver 0]

Hah. I don't have a problem with chili or shrimp, but tater tots kick my ass (and hurt my band)!!! I love how everyone is different! :glare:

For the record, even though tater tots have been one of my favorite things for a long time, I'm actually somewhat pleased that I had them partially get stuck last week. The pain has helped me to swear them off for good! :huh2:

too bad ice cream never gets stuck . . .

Hey, have you tried making your vodka and cranberry drinks with the ocean spray 5 calorie juice? I really like it . . .

[jmegirl 2]

too bad ice cream never gets stuck . . .

Hey, have you tried making your vodka and cranberry drinks with the ocean spray 5 calorie juice? I really like it . . .

Yes! I drink Grey Goose and cranberry with that particular lower calorie cranberry juice when I'm at home. However when I'm out (which is usually the only time I drink), I tend to be at the mercy of the sugary cranberry juice at the bar. :huh2:

[julie.ann 1]

Grey Goose and cranberry with a lime twist is my drink too! I have Belvedere in my freezer at home. I have gotten crystal light cranberry that takes all the calories away except for the vodka. (64 calories) but even that adds up. I have even thought about carriing a little single serving mix to the bar when I go.

Actually I have given up drinking. I think I have had one drink and that was had DH's christmas party because they had bought the vodka just for me. (WTF?)

I looked up the calories if I order that drink at the bar and haven't found it is worth it. I would much rather see the numbers move on the scale. I'm sure I will for special occasions and such. Nothing wrong with a rare treat!:huh2:

[minidriver 0]

Yes! I drink Grey Goose and cranberry with that particular lower calorie cranberry juice when I'm at home. However when I'm out (which is usually the only time I drink), I tend to be at the mercy of the sugary cranberry juice at the bar. :huh2:

Yeah, I've been worrying about our upcoming trip to Mexico. I want to drink (of course) but really need to be careful cuz of my diabetes. I'm thinking of getting some of the new ocean spray drink packets and just getting vodka from the bar then adding Water and drink mix. dorky, i know.

[minidriver 0]

Grey Goose and cranberry with a lime twist is my drink too! I have Belvedere in my freezer at home. I have gotten crystal light cranberry that takes all the calories away except for the vodka. (64 calories) but even that adds up. I have even thought about carriing a little single serving mix to the bar when I go.

Actually I have given up drinking. I think I have had one drink and that was had DH's christmas party because they had bought the vodka just for me. (WTF?)

I looked up the calories if I order that drink at the bar and haven't found it is worth it. I would much rather see the numbers move on the scale. I'm sure I will for special occasions and such. Nothing wrong with a rare treat!:huh2:

Oh, that's funny. I posted my reply about the single serving ocean spray before I saw what you said.

[minidriver 0]

Grey Goose and cranberry with a lime twist is my drink too! I have Belvedere in my freezer at home. I have gotten crystal light cranberry that takes all the calories away except for the vodka. (64 calories) but even that adds up. I have even thought about carriing a little single serving mix to the bar when I go.

Actually I have given up drinking. I think I have had one drink and that was had DH's christmas party because they had bought the vodka just for me. (WTF?)

I looked up the calories if I order that drink at the bar and haven't found it is worth it. I would much rather see the numbers move on the scale. I'm sure I will for special occasions and such. Nothing wrong with a rare treat!:huh2:

that's funny. I posted about taking a single serving thing to the bar before I read this reply. Great minds, ya know.

[bookholder 0]

OMG dee I haven't been on here in 2 months, you look incredible!!!!!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

OMG dee I haven't been on here in 2 months, you look incredible!!!!!

oh how Sweet of you to say!!!

thanks!!

[Snowgator 3]

How about Monday, February 9th for our Red Robin gathering?

Dee, Feb. 9 is good for me, 6:30 or 7:00?

I got this from the IRS web site:

Topic 502 - Medical and Dental Expenses

If you itemize your deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A (PDF), you may be able to deduct expenses you paid that year for medical care (including dental) for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents. A deduction is allowed only for expenses paid for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness. Medical care expenses include payments for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or treatment affecting any structure or function of the body. The cost of drugs is deductible only for drugs that require a prescription, except for insulin.

Medical expenses include fees paid to doctors, dentists, surgeons, chiropractors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and Christian Science practitioners. Also included are payments for hospital services, qualified long–term care services, nursing services, and laboratory fees. Payments for acupuncture treatments or inpatient treatment at a center for alcohol or drug addiction are also deductible medical expenses. You may include amounts you paid for participating in a smoking–cessation program and for drugs prescribed to alleviate nicotine withdrawal. However, you may not deduct amounts paid for nicotine gum and nicotine Patches, which do not require a prescription. You may deduct the cost of participating in a weight-loss program for a specific disease or diseases, including obesity, diagnosed by a physician. You may not deduct the cost of purchasing diet food items. In addition, you may include expenses for admission and transportation to a medical conference relating to the chronic disease of yourself, your spouse, or your dependent (if the costs are primarily for and essential to the medical care). However, you may not deduct the costs for meals and lodging while attending the medical conference.

The cost of items such as false teeth, prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, laser eye surgery, hearing aids, crutches, wheelchairs, and guide dogs for the blind or deaf are deductible medical expenses.

You may not deduct funeral or burial expenses, health club dues, over–the–counter medicines, toothpaste, toiletries, cosmetics, a trip or program for the general improvement of your health, or most cosmetic surgery.

You may deduct transportation costs primarily for and essential to medical care that qualify as medical expenses. The actual fare for a taxi, bus, train, or ambulance can be deducted. If you use your car for medical transportation, you can deduct actual out–of–pocket expenses such as gas and oil, or you can deduct the standard mileage rate for medical expenses. With either method you may include tolls and parking fees.

You may include in medical expenses the incidental cost of meals and lodging charged by the hospital or similar institution if your main reason for being there is to receive medical care.

You can only include the medical expenses you paid during the year, regardless of when the services were provided. Your total medical expenses for the year must be reduced by any reimbursement. It makes no difference if you receive the reimbursement or if it is paid directly to the doctor or hospital.

You may include qualified medical expenses you pay for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents, including a person you claim as a dependent under a multiple support agreement. If either parent claims a child as a dependent under the rules for divorced or separated parents, each parent may deduct the medical expenses he or she actually pays for the child. You can also deduct medical expenses you paid for someone who would have qualified as your dependent except that the person didn't meet the gross income or joint return test.

You may deduct only the amount by which your total medical care expenses for the year exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You do this calculation on Form 1040 Schedule A in computing the amount deductible.

Medical expenses include insurance premiums paid for accident and health or qualified long-term care insurance. You may not deduct insurance premiums for life insurance, for policies providing for loss of wages because of illness or injury, or policies that pay you a guaranteed amount each week for a sickness. In addition, the deduction for a qualified long–term care insurance policy's premium is limited. Refer to Publication 502 , Medical and Dental Expenses.

You may not deduct insurance premiums paid by an employer–sponsored health insurance plan (cafeteria plan) unless the premiums are included in Box 1 of your Form W-2 (PDF).

If you are self–employed and have a net profit for the year, or if you are a partner in a partnership or a shareholder in an S corporation, you may be able to deduct, as an adjustment to income, 100% of the amount you pay for medical insurance for yourself and your spouse and dependents. You can include the remaining premiums with your other medical expenses as an itemized deduction. You cannot take the special 100% deduction for any month in which you are eligible to participate in any subsidized health plan maintained by your employer or your spouse's employer.

Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses, contains additional information.

[adorkbl 156]

I am tight.. tight... tight. Grrr. Trying to stick it out a bit longer to see if it will loosen a bit.

Still leary if this restriction will stick around. So far it is. Boy is it ever. Everything hurts when I eat. So tired of everything hurting and only being able to take a few bites before I am done done done.