Healthcare Expense

[hvyhttr]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IN

My son was recently diagnosed with numerous learning disabilities. We took him to a child psychologist and it was recommended in her report, that he attend a grade school specializing in Dyslexia and other learning disabilities (she even provided a list of a few differents schools). As you can imagine, these schools are quite expensive.

My question is, can this school that will be educating him, but also providing therapy for his disability be claimed as a medical expense? If so, can I also use my FSA or HSA to pay for this expense?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

David

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IN

My son was recently diagnosed with numerous learning disabilities. We took him to a child psychologist and it was recommended in her report, that he attend a grade school specializing in Dyslexia and other learning disabilities (she even provided a list of a few differents schools). As you can imagine, these schools are quite expensive.

My question is, can this school that will be educating him, but also providing therapy for his disability be claimed as a medical expense? If so, can I also use my FSA or HSA to pay for this expense?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

David

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf

Special Education
You can include in medical expenses fees you pay on a doctor's recommendation for a child's tutoring by a teacher who is specially trained and qualified to work with children who have learning disabilities caused by mental or physical impairments, including nervous system disorders.

You can include in medical expenses the cost (tuition, meals, and lodging) of attending a school that furnishes special education to help a child to overcome learning disabilities. A doctor must recommend that the child attend the school. Overcoming the learning disabilities must be a principal reason for attending the school, and any ordinary education received must be incidental to the special education provided. Special education includes:

Teaching Braille to a visually impaired person,

Teaching lip reading to a hearing-impaired person, or

Giving remedial language training to correct a condition caused by a birth defect.


You cannot include in medical expenses the cost of sending a problem child to a school where the course of study and the disciplinary methods have a beneficial effect on the child's attitude if the availability of medical care in the school is not a principal reason for sending the student there.