COVID masks and hand sanitizer are now tax-deductible
After spending 2020 stockpiling masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes in response to COVID-19, you can now write these products off, according to the IRS. The news comes in the middle of tax season -- the Internal Revenue Service started processing 2020 federal tax returns on Feb. 12, but the filing deadline has been delayed from April 15 to May 17. While the federal extension applies to all US taxpayers, not every state has changed its due date, so be sure to check on your particular deadline.
Meanwhile, vaccination efforts continue to pick up speed across the country, and President Joe Biden is urging states to maintain or reinstate mask mandates over concerns of another COVID-19 surge. As the pandemic triggered the highest rate of job loss in America since the Great Depression, the new tax deductions could offer much welcome relief -- for some.
"This continues to be a tough time for many people, and the IRS wants to continue to do everything possible to help taxpayers navigate the unusual circumstances related to the pandemic, while also working on important tax administration responsibilities," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement.
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In late March 2021, the IRS announced that personal protective equipment like masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes that were purchased on or after Jan. 1, 2020, "for the sake of preventing the spread of COVID-19," are considered "medical care" products. This means you are now able to add the cost of such items to your medical expenses when filing taxes -- as long as your annual medical costs exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, or AGI.
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/taxes/covid-masks-and-hand-sanitizer-are-now-tax-deductible/
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