Why can't I have dependent children medical expenses for children over 18 years old?

The Medical Expense Tax Credit for other dependants (line 33199 of the federal return) is used to claim medical expenses for family members who are dependant on you financially, including children and grandchildren who are 19 or older.  It is designed to help caregivers with above-average medical expenses for a family member when they are the primary caregiver.

 

To enter medical expenses for dependants over 18 years of age, you'll first have enter the dependant's information into TurboTax, including their net income.

Separate the medical expenses you paid for each dependant from medical expenses you paid for yourself, your spouse/partner, and any minor children. Medical expenses you paid for a dependant over 18 should be calculated and entered separately, otherwise the amount you can claim will be reduced by 3% of your income (instead of theirs).

Choose a method for entering the expenses and perform any necessary calculations. The CRA will allow you to enter your expenses in one of two ways:

Simplified method:

• As a total for the year: Add up all the eligible medical expenses for this dependant for your 12-month claim period and enter the amount as one expense. Don't include expenses paid for disability supports, van adaptation, moving expenses, and private medical plans (these will be entered separately)
• By category: Sort the medical expenses into categories (such as medications, travel, and devices). Add the eligible amounts in each category and enter each category’s amount as an expense

Detailed method:

• Enter each receipt individually as a separate expense

For both methods, the CRA requires you to keep your receipts for at least six years.

 

For step-by-step guidance please see our TurboTax FAQ How do I enter medical expenses for dependants over 18?

For more information, please see the TurboTax article: Medical Expense Tax Credit for Other Dependants 

 

Thank you for choosing TurboTax.