The IRS considers costs related to service, guide, and hearing dogs as deductible medical expenses.
Many disabled people benefit from a service dog trained to assist with or perform everyday tasks such as turning on lights, getting the mail or pulling a wheelchair. The Americans with Disabilities Act protects the rights of the disabled to bring their service dogs into public places. This allows service dog owners to travel to many areas from which they would normally be barred. The IRS considers costs related to service, guide and hearing dogs as deductible medical expenses.
Types of Service Dogs
Some people place all assistance dogs under the "service dog" umbrella. Assistance Dogs International, however, differentiates between guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf and service dogs for the physically disabled. Service dogs help their owners minimize the effects of their disability and perform everyday tasks. People in wheelchairs, epileptics, diabetics and the autistic may benefit from the aid of a service dog. Psychiatric service dogs assist the mentally disabled, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Deductible Service Dog Expenses
The Internal Revenue Service allows you to deduct the costs of "buying, training and maintaining" a service dog as a medical expense. Veterinary expenses would be included in the maintenance costs. Other maintenance costs include food, supplies and licensing.
Rules for Deducting Medical Expenses
Although service dog vet bills are tax deductible, not everyone with a service dog will qualify for medical deductions. You can only deduct medical expenses if you itemize your deductions on Schedule A. In addition, you can only deduct the portion of your total medical expenses that exceeds 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.
Cautions
A variety of service dog organizations exist, with varying degrees of credibility. While the ADI offers a certification test for graduates of its program, there is no standardized service dog certification process. Some organizations will certify owner-trained dogs, while others only certify dogs that have trained through their program. To qualify as a service dog, the dog must have been trained to perform specific tasks to aid a disabled person. If you have a self-trained service dog, discuss your situation with your tax professional to ensure you qualify for the deduction.
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