Is Senior Care Tax Deductible?

Is Senior Care Tax Deductible

When it comes to healthy aging, quite honestly, there’s a lot to do. You’re supposed to make sure to keep your body active and your brain engaged all while maintaining your social connections as well. Sure, the benefits to your overall well-being are worth the effort, but retirement is supposed to be a time with less responsibility on your plate, right? Well, it turns out that in senior living you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. Here’s how programs like our Vivid Life make keeping active, engaged, and connected easy and fun! 

Benefits of Healthy Aging 

Good things happen when you focus on healthy aging. In addition to feeling better overall, which in and of itself is a win, other benefits of keeping active, engaged, and connected include:  

  • Improved ability to do everyday things ​ 
  • Reduced impact of illness and chronic disease​ 
  • Enhanced mobility, flexibility, and balance
  • Improved sleep
  • Increased energy level
  • Reduced feelings of depression and stress
  • Increased feelings of happiness and self-confidence
  • Reduced risk of cognitive decline 
  • Increased mental adaptability and cognitive reserve 
  • Improved memory recall and problem-solving skills 
  • Improved concentration and attention to detail  

How Senior Living Can Help 

At home, particularly when living alone, it can be hard to stay as active, engaged, and connected as you’d like. From lack of opportunity to lack of motivation to lack of transportation to mobility challenges, and more, it’s tough, we get it! That’s why we created the Vivid Life program in our senior living communities. It’s composed of three parts: Vibrant Body, Vibrant Brain, and Vibrant Connections. Here’s what each entails:  

Vibrant Body We offer amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness center, a pool, walking trails, gardening opportunities, and even a dog park to help you stay active. A sample of activities includes:  

  • Walking club – Daily walks at different outdoor locations using pedometers to measure steps. 
  • Yoga – At least once per week for gentle yoga, and once per week for mindful breathing. 
  • Fitness classes – At least two times per week using a variety of hand weights, resistance bands, and circuit-type exercises. 
  • Tai Chi – At least once per week with a live instructor. 
  • Non-traditional exercise – Dancing, gardening, etc. at least two times per week. 
  • Physical games and sports – Golf, putting, bowling, croquet, bocce, and ping pong available daily with organized events one to two times per week. 

Vibrant Brain We offer monthly calendars filled with classes, events, creative arts, and enrichment opportunities to help keep you engaged. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Visiting lecture series – Twice per month with topics such as cultural, historical, local interest, career-oriented, etc. 
  • Creative art series – At least one per week with a theme that runs 3-6 weeks, such as poetry writing, storytelling, painting, digital photography, etc. 
  • Learning series – At least three times per month with an emphasis on learning something new such as foreign language, sign language, technology, hobbies, etc. 
  • Games – At least one time per week and may include poker, bridge, Scrabble, etc. 
  • Mindfulness – A meditation class once per week and gratitude discussion group twice monthly. 
  • Church service – At least once a week through visits by local churches. 
  • Stress reduction – At least once per month class that offers deep breathing exercises, nature walks, music appreciation, spa-type treatments, etc. 

 Vibrant Connections We offer resident-led clubs, social events, outings and volunteer opportunities for any interest to help you stay connected. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Outings – At least twice per month and may include going to concerts, art shows, museum visits, theatre productions, etc. 
  • Intergenerational programming – At least once per month and focuses on building relationships between young adults/children and residents. 
  • New resident welcome party – At least once per month to formally introduce all new residents, and includes ice breakers, social games, etc. to encourage connection. 
  • Philanthropic program – At least once per month provide residents the opportunity to give back to the community, such as volunteering for a local food bank or pet shelter. 
  • Resident-led clubs – May include game clubs, professional clubs, common interests, etc. that meet at least monthly.  

What’s more, it’s all right outside your door (or transportation is provided offsite) and all in a supportive environment with home maintenance, housekeeping, and restaurant-style dining freeing your time to make it even easier to stay active, engaged, and connected. 

Learn more about Vitality Living’s Vivid Life programs. Or find a Vitality Living community near you today to schedule a tour. 

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A question we hear repeatedly from families during tax season is whether or not senior care expenses qualify for a tax deduction. Sometimes the senior pays the entire cost of care on their own, and other times adult children pitch in to help. While we aren’t tax advisers, we did want to take time to share a few resources that might help you find the answers you need.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Rules for Senior Care Tax Deductions

There are two primary publications that can help you learn more about this very confusing area of tax law:

  • IRS Tax Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses outlines the rules and regulations about what are considered to be medical care expenses, the threshold you must meet (currently 10%), and more. It also discusses how to determine if a parent to whom you provide financial assistance meets the legal standard to be considered a “qualifying relative” you can claim as a deduction.
  • IRS Tax Publication 503: Child and Dependent Care Expenses elaborates on who is considered to be a qualifying person, the test to claim tax credit, expenses you can deduct if a spouse is unable to care for themselves, and more.

Because this part of the tax code is fairly complicated, we recommend you seek the advice of a tax preparer with experience in senior care.

Free Tax Preparation Assistance for Seniors

If an older adult you love needs a little help preparing their taxes, there are several reliable options to consider.

  • AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: This free tax program is open to all seniors, and not just those who are members of AARP. They have 5,000 locations across the country to help older adults prepare their taxes.
  • Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE): Another free tax assistance program, this one is offered through the IRS. Preference is given to people over the age of 60. IRS-certified volunteers provide one-on-one assistance at local sites across the country, often in conjunction with the AARP Foundation sites. Search for a TCE site near you online →

Senior Living Funding Solutions

Research shows that 70% of people over the age of 65 will need some type of long-term care during their lifetime. It might be a rehab stay at a skilled nursing center to recover from an illness or surgery, or a memory care community to allow a senior with dementia to live their best life despite the disease. Whatever the situation, we know understanding financing options can feel overwhelming.

We created this guide to help you explore financing options ranging from Veteran’s benefits to using long-term care insurance to pay for assisted living. Download your complimentary copy of Senior Living Funding Solutions today!

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