Deductions and Credits Is Your Weight Loss Tax Deductible? Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by Published Dec 19, 2010 - [Updated Jul 11, 2019] 1 min read We all know that this is the time of year when everyone makes resolutions to lose weight, but did you know that if you itemize your tax returns (as 40% of us do), you can monetize your weight loss? Here’s the skinny: Weight loss programs ARE deductible All programs – whether a big commercial program like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or a physician or hospital-based weight loss program – can be deducted, providing your doctor has confirmed that your current weight is a threat to your health, and has therefore ordered you to enroll in a program to treat a specific disease, whether obesity (a designated disease as of 2002), hypertension, heart disease, or high cholesterol, for example. You must have this in writing. Expenses must be legitimate While you cannot deduct the obvious – such as the cost of diet foods (considered a personal expense), home exercise equipment, health club/gym/spa dues, nutritional supplements or any costs that are covered by insurance – legitimate program expenses include everything from initial fees to meeting fees to behavioral counseling, to appointments with physicians, dieticians, and nutritionists. Consider costs To get a deduction, costs must exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. If you make $45,000, for example, you can deduct weight loss expenses above $3375; if you make $50,000, you can deduct expenses exceeding $3,750. Vanity doesn’t count Thinking about getting liposuction to suck away those extra five pounds you’re carrying on your hips? Considering joining a gym just because you want to look – and feel – better? Expenses, as such, that are merely beneficial to general health, do not count, but things like Bariatric surgery, FDA-approved weight loss drugs and other medical expenses – providing they relate to alleviating or preventing a physical or mental defect or illness – do. Previous Post How to Save a Bundle for Your New Bundle of… Next Post What is an HSA? Written by More from 6 responses to “Is Your Weight Loss Tax Deductible?” Thank You for your information. Reply My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content for you personally? I wouldn’t mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write about here. Again, awesome blog! Reply If the doctor said in so many words, “I’d like you to lose some weight,” and I decide on my own to use Weight Watchers, is that tax deductible since he did not specifically say to join a diet plan? Reply good post Reply If the dr gives you a prescription than your weight loss plan might be deductible if you meet the I.R.S guild lines. Reply Will pass this on to my personal training clients ,great post thanks for sharing Reply Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Income Tax by State Nevada State Income Tax in 2025: A Guide Income Tax by State Texas State Income Tax for 2025: A Guide Income Tax by State Florida State Income Tax in 2025: A Guide Income Tax by State Michigan State Income Tax in 2025: A Guide Income Tax by State Minnesota State Income Tax in 2024: A Guide Income Tax by State Maryland State Income Tax in 2024: A Guide Income Tax by State California State Income Tax in 2025: A Guide Income Tax by State Colorado State Income Tax in 2025: A Guide Income What Is the Federal Income Tax Rate & How Does It Work? Tax News E-File is Now Open: Why You Should File Your Taxes Early
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content for you personally? I wouldn’t mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write about here. Again, awesome blog! Reply
If the doctor said in so many words, “I’d like you to lose some weight,” and I decide on my own to use Weight Watchers, is that tax deductible since he did not specifically say to join a diet plan? Reply
If the dr gives you a prescription than your weight loss plan might be deductible if you meet the I.R.S guild lines. Reply