Moving for medical reasons.....

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Can moving expenses be deducted for this?  As a moving expense or under medical deduction?

I'm not finding what the IRS says totally clear....but that's not unusual.

<wondering if this is the first year ever I cry "Uncle" and need to let a professional do my taxes>

[Deleted]

You are a made women now.   Go get your nails done and let someone else worry about the taxes. 

[Tennesseer]

The Walk of the Penguin Mich-one thing you have to ask yourself is if the medical reason (treatment) was not available in the area you moved from. That would be your argument..

The only thing I could find for moving for medical reasons was this link (and it looks like the answer is no):

Seeking advice on deductibility of an unusual relocation.

[mwcpa]

generally, moving expenses are only deductible when the move is related to a change in employment. there are various tests to determine if the move is a qualified move. www.irs.gov/publications/p521/index.html

per IRS publication 502 (2013)

"What Are Medical Expenses?

Medical expenses are the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body. These expenses include payments for legal medical services rendered by physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other medical practitioners. They include the costs of equipment, supplies, and diagnostic devices needed for these purposes.

Medical care expenses must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness. They do not include expenses that are merely beneficial to general health, such as vitamins or a vacation.

Medical expenses include the premiums you pay for insurance that covers the expenses of medical care, and the amounts you pay for transportation to get medical care. Medical expenses also include amounts paid for qualified long-term care services and limited amounts paid for any qualified long-term care insurance contract."

In a private letter ruling (9030049, 1990) the IRS held that an individuals costs to relocate to treat pulmonary fibrosis was not deductible even though his doctor advised the move.

There may be extremely limited situations where "moving costs" may be deductible when it relates to specific treatment of a specific medical condition, if moving will improve general health, nope, not going to work.  Rare.  you can search google and you may find a charlatan who says you can claim the break, but he won't be around when the IRS knocks on your door.

[TheOtherMe]

I do think the IRS would knock on your door if you deducted moving expenses as a medical expense.  This retired IRS agent would most likely toss that deduction out the window.