The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said Friday (March 26) that spending on personal protective items, such as masks, can be used as a tax deduction for medical expenses when filing taxes. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)
Under the latest guidance, taxpayers can deduct the cost of personal protective equipment on their tax returns if they choose to itemize their deductions (i.e., do not take the standard deduction) and their medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of their household adjusted gross income, the IRS said. personal protective equipment includes masks, COVID-19 disinfectant, hand sanitizer, disinfectant paper towels and disposable gloves.
The federal tax filing season was extended by one month this year, ending May 17. Officials said this is to give the IRS more Time to process last year’s backlog of paper tax returns and to implement a series of tax law changes required by the new round of stimulus bills.
Last month, the IRS said eligible teachers can deduct the outstanding cost of personal protective items purchased after March 12, 2020; previously, teachers could already deduct up to $250 for classroom supplies such as books.
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