Did you know face masks and other personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are tax-deductible?
Today the IRS issued Announcement 2021-7 clarifying that the purchase of personal protective equipment, such as masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes, for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of coronavirus are deductible medical expenses under § 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code. To learn more, click the link in our bio.
Therefore, amounts paid by an individual taxpayer for COVID-19 PPE for use by the taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse, or the taxpayer’s dependent(s) that are not compensated for by insurance or otherwise are deductible under § 213(a) provided that the taxpayer’s total medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income.
The amounts paid for personal protective equipment are also eligible to be paid or reimbursed under health flexible spending arrangements (health FSAs), Archer medical savings accounts (Archer MSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), or health savings accounts (HSAs). But, if an amount is paid or reimbursed under any of those plans, it is not deductible.
To learn more, read about Announcement 2021-7.
