Canada Talking Tax: Surprising medical expenses that can be claimed

Canadians can claim a wide array of medical expenses on their tax returns — from wigs to gluten-free bread to medical marijuana — yet the Medical Expense Tax Credit is among the least used.

While the paperwork may be complicated, the return can be worth it for many people, says John Crawford, a chartered accountant and chief financial officer of Pacific Blue Cross.

Among the more surprising deductible expenses are:

  • Travel for medical treatments
  • Gluten-free bread
  • Medical marijuana
  • Wigs

Crawford notes that prescriptions and other documents are required to claim these expenses and prove medical need. For example, medical marijuana expenses can only be claimed by authorized patients who purchase from licensed producers. And wigs can only be claimed as medical expenses by people with particular medical conditions.

“Particularly myself, who is losing hair — I can’t get a wig,” he says.

In the case of gluten-free bread,...

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URL: 
http://www.bnn.ca/News/2015/3/28/Surprising-medical-expenses-that-can-be-claimed-at-tax-time.aspx