The Internal Revenue Service allows you to take a tax deduction for a portion of your medical and dental expenses. When you file jointly as a married couple, that doubles your opportunity for deductions. But there's a big catch: The amount you can deduct is determined by your income -- the more you make, the less you can deduct. So if you both work, that raises the bar to qualify for a sizable medical deduction. Regardless, to deduct your medical expenses, you must itemize your tax deductions, which means filling out Form 1040 and Schedule A.
Step 1
Fill out the first portion of Form 1040, the standard U.S. individual income tax return, to determine combined federal adjusted gross income for you and your spouse.
Step 2
Gather all records of medical and dental expenses that you and your spouse paid for yourselves, as well as for anyone whom you are claiming as a dependent on your tax return.
Step 3
Add up your total out-of-pocket expenses.
Step 4
Subtract any reimbursements you have received, such as from an employer.
Step 5
Enter the result on Line 1 of Schedule A, in the section labeled "Medical and Dental Expenses."
Step 6
Enter your federal adjusted gross income on Line 2 of Schedule A.
Step 7
Mulitply Line 2 by 0.075, and enter the result on Line 3.
Step 8
Subtract Line 3 from Line 1 and enter the result on Line 4. This is your allowable deduction for medical and dental expenses. If the result is negative -- that is, if Line 3 is larger than Line 1 -- enter "0."
Step 9
Complete the rest of Schedule A and continue filling out your return.
