|
11-11-2015, 09:40 AM
|
#1
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: dubuque
Posts: 1,169
|
hsa question
my wife is going to have surgery in december and we have an hsa account. can the funds from that be used for transportation expenses and motel room? we live in a small town and the closest place they can do this particular surgery is about 200 miles away and she will be in the hospital be in the hospital 5-7 days. thanks
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
11-11-2015, 09:49 AM
|
#2
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rio Grande Valley
Posts: 38,008
|
This mentions transportation for medical care and gives a link to the complete IRS document. Not sure about motel.
https://www.wellsfargo.com/investing...fied-expenses/
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
|
|
|
11-11-2015, 09:55 AM
|
#3
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nashville
Posts: 2,504
|
Here is an easier link to Publication 502 (Wellsfargo's goes to a pdf): https://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html
Look at "trips" and "lodging," which apply to your situation. If permissible, limited to $50 per person (patient +1) per day.
__________________
OMY * 3 2ish Done 7.28.17
|
|
|
11-11-2015, 10:10 AM
|
#4
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
|
From the IRS in Publication 502:
Quote:
You may be able to include in medical expenses the cost of lodging not provided in a hospital or similar institution. You can include the cost of such lodging while away from home if all of the following requirements are met.
The lodging is primarily for and essential to medical care.
The medical care is provided by a doctor in a licensed hospital or in a medical care facility related to, or the equivalent of, a licensed hospital.
The lodging is not lavish or extravagant under the circumstances.
There is no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation in the travel away from home.
The amount you include in medical expenses for lodging cannot be more than $50 for each night for each person. You can include lodging for a person traveling with the person receiving the medical care. For example, if a parent is traveling with a sick child, up to $100 per night can be included as a medical expense for lodging. Meals are not included.
|
Based on the above and knowing that the facility is 200 miles away from home, yes, I suspect reimbursement of up to $50 per night would be reasonable.
If the surgical facility were within reasonable driving distance, it's questionable that it would be allowable since it might be considered "extravagant" and unnecessary per the Pub 502 guidelines. But 200 miles away is almost certainly a reasonable distance to claim a reimbursable lodging expense.
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
|
|
|
11-12-2015, 04:52 AM
|
#5
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: dubuque
Posts: 1,169
|
thanks for the good advice. I read the publication and came away with the same thoughts. I bet the irs agents don't sleep in 50 dollar a night rooms. thanks again
|
|
|
11-12-2015, 05:16 AM
|
#6
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by frank
thanks for the good advice. I read the publication and came away with the same thoughts. I bet the irs agents don't sleep in 50 dollar a night rooms. thanks again
|
I wonder if this one of those things that hasn't been adjusted for inflation for a long time.
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
|
|
|
11-12-2015, 08:52 AM
|
#7
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,132
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by frank
thanks for the good advice. I read the publication and came away with the same thoughts. I bet the irs agents don't sleep in 50 dollar a night rooms. thanks again
|
What can go wrong at a place called "Bates Motel"?
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
|
|
|
11-14-2015, 01:43 PM
|
#8
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 93
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ziggy29
I wonder if this one of those things that hasn't been adjusted for inflation for a long time.
|
X2 on this. I wonder why they didn't tie it to per diem rates? That would have been a simple way of dealing with inflation / location....
|
|
|
11-14-2015, 05:38 PM
|
#9
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County
Posts: 1,432
|
I hope nobody minds if I threadjack, but it looks like the OP's question has been addressed and I have a different HSA question:
I will retire on 12/31 of this year from a layoff. Current employer provided healthcare is a HDHP which is HSA eligible. One of my layoff benefits is 3 months of company paid COBRA in my existing health plan. In April 2016 at the conclusion of this period I'll transition to a retiree medical plan that is a traditional BCBS PPO plan that is not HSA eligible.
My question is whether I can partially or completely fund a 2016 HSA during the 3 months during which I'll be eligible.
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|