How Do You Deduct Impairment-Related Work Expenses?

If you are disabled and have expenses which are necessary for you to be able to work (impairment-related work expenses), take a business deduction for these expenses, rather than a medical deduction. You are disabled if you have:

• A physical or mental disability (for example, blindness or deafness) that functionally limits your being employed, or
• A physical or mental impairment (for example, a sight or hearing impairment) that substantially limits one or more of your major life activities, such as performing manual tasks, walking, speaking, breathing, learning, or working.

Deduct impairment-related expenses as business expenses if they are:

• Necessary for you to do your work satisfactorily,
• For goods and services not required or used, other than incidentally, in your personal activities, and
• Not specifically covered under other income tax laws.

If you are self-employed, deduct the business expenses on the appropriate form (Schedule C, C-EZ, E, or F) used to report your business income and expenses. If you are an employee with impairment-related work expenses, complete Form 2106, Employee Business Expenses, or Form 2106-EZ, Unreimbursed Employee Business Expenses. Your impairment-related work expenses are not subject to the 2%-of-adjusted-gross-income limit that applies to other employee business expenses.

Example. You are blind. You must use a reader to do your work. You use the reader both during your regular working hours at your place of work and outside your regular working hours away from your place of work. The reader's services are only for your work. You can deduct your expenses for the reader as business expenses.

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