Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and taxes

Did anyone deduct the cost of their plastic surgery and have the IRS accept the deduction??
Just wondering if it's worth trying to deduct it.......

Thanks!

 I wonder about this too, especially when I add in my costs from 2 ER visits (one with ambulance transport), and MANY prescriptions....

I know the IRS is tough with this but there were a few women here who said they planned on deducting the surgery expenses so I'm wondering if they did it and if the IRS accepted it.  I spend $35,000 in total on medical stuff last year (not all plastics) so I'd love to be able to included it.
TTFN

Can I just have it a "medically necessary" procedure and have a physician write something saying so? Isn't that all it would take. Even if insurance kicked back doesn't mean that tx does - or does it?

I did and it was accepted. On the return it didn't ask what the expenses were for just ithat it was a medical expenses. I viewed mine as medically necessary reconstructive surgery that fell within their guidelines. Guess I'll just have to wait to see if I get audited. If that's the case I'm sure you'd have to give the details of the expenses. I'll cross that bridge when if it comes to that but feel confident that my Dr. would support that claim. Also I did have my insurance cover the panni removal as medically necessary which would also support the case.

Audits don't always happen until many many months down the road, sometimes as late as 9 months post April 15. 

I did my own taxes and I did it with and without plastics.  I would have only gotten $200.00 more in refund (I spent less than $9000) and I felt it wasn't worth being audited. Once you're audited, the chance of being audited again is much higher.

If I had gone to the ER or doctors for complications from my plastics, I would have deducted that without even a thought - because it was related to my health.  Most insurance companies will cover complications from ps even if they won't cover the ps procedure.

Just my 2 cents on the issue...

mine was a significant difference in my taxes so I was willing to take the chance of an audit. When I did my own it kinda gives you an estimation of your chances of being audited and mine is low. So who know. If it was only a difference of $200 I probably wouldn't have done it but I spent more than $20,000 in medical expenses. I know I'll have to wait to find out if they will audit me but I'm not going to let it worry me at this point. What's done is done.

I'm like you....I had a total of $35,000 in medical expenses...most of it was plastic surgery stuff (about $30k) so it makes a big difference on my taxes for the year.

I'm real torn about it........and need to decide by tomorrow morning.......nothing like last minute!
Thanks for the input

I seriously thought about taking the deduction as it changed my refund by almost $2,000.  But I thought with my luck, they'd audit me and then I'd have some black mark on my record.  Wasn't worth the chance.

Franci

I deducted my plastrics from my 2007 taxes.  I didnt get audited until 2009.  I went back and forth with the IRS for about 6 months.  I had to show proof of reciepts, and a letter from my doctor.  I also ended up writing a letter explaining why i had surgery.  In the end they let me claim it.