IRS Issues Long-Term Care Premium Deductibility Limits for 2022, and They Look Pretty Familiar
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the amounts taxpayers of different ages can deduct from their 2022 income as a result of buying long-term care insurance, and the figures are almost the same as in 2021.
Posted on November 22, 2021
Many types of medical expenses are deductible from your taxes. To claim the deduction, your total unreimbursed medical expenses (which can include premiums for “qualified” long-term care insurance policies), have to be more than 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income in 2022.
FREE WEBINAR
5 Things to Know About
Estate Planning
When You Turn Sixty-Five
As long as the long-term care insurance policy is “qualified” (see below), these premiums -- what the policyholder pays the insurance company to keep the policy in force -- are deductible for the taxpayer, his or her spouse, and other dependents. If you are self-employed, the tax-deductibility rules are a little different: You can take the amount of the premium as a deduction as long as you made a net profit; your medical expenses do not have to exceed a certain percentage of your income. The tax deduction is generally not available with so-called hybrid policies, such as life insurance and annuity policies with a long-term care benefit.
There is a limit on how large a premium can be deducted, depending on the age of the taxpayer at the end of the year. Following are the deductibility limits for tax year 2022. They are the same as in 2021, with the exception that for those in the age 60 to 70 age range the IRS reduced the limit by $10, from $1,420 to $1,410. Any premium amounts for the year above these limits are not considered to be a medical expense.
| Attained age before the close of the taxable year | Maximum deduction for year |
| 40 or less | $450 |
| More than 40 but not more than 50 | $850 |
| More than 50 but not more than 60 | $1,690 |
| More than 60 but not more than 70 | $4,510 |
| More than 70 | $5,640 |
Another change announced by the IRS involves benefits from per diem or indemnity policies, which pay a predetermined amount each day. These benefits are not included in income except amounts that exceed the beneficiary's total qualified long-term care expenses or $390 per day, whichever is greater.
For these and other inflation adjustments from the IRS, click here.
FREE WEBINAR
5 Things to Know About
Estate Planning
When You Turn Sixty-Five
What Is a "Qualified" Policy?
To be "qualified," policies issued on or after January 1, 1997, must adhere to certain requirements, among them that the policy must offer the consumer the options of "inflation" and "nonforfeiture" protection, although the consumer can choose not to purchase these features. Policies purchased before January 1, 1997, will be grandfathered and treated as "qualified" as long as they have been approved by the insurance commissioner of the state in which they are sold.
More from our blog…
Elder Financial Abuse: How an Elder Law Attorney Can Help
Elder financial abuse is a significant issue affecting many older adults nationwide. It involves someone exploiting or misusing an older person’s finances or assets for [...]
Does Medicare Cover Prescription Weight Loss Drugs?
Americans have a growing appetite for prescription drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. Originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, they are now exploding [...]
How Social Security Overpayment Rules Are Changing
With a new commissioner at the helm, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has been announcing several policy changes in recent weeks. In late March 2024, the [...]
Claiming the Guardianship of an Elderly Parent
Often an aging parent will lose their ability to think clearly or make informed decisions about their life. This may occur because of dementia, mental [...]
Recent blog posts
FREE WEBINAR
5 Things to Know About
Estate Planning
When You Turn Sixty-Five