Asked
Question about taxes.
Single mom whose daughter got braces Feb 2023 and I pay for them every month. Can I claim that expense when I do my taxes? Think I forgot last year or didn't think I could claim but want to know if i can claim this year. I usually only claim by health and dental premiums and chiro appts which last year were roughly $1,700 but if I added the orthodontic expenses it would add $3,300 a year. Is there a max you can claim?
Clint’s answer
Yes!!! You can claim medical expenses for your dependents on your taxes!
Here is how it works...
The lowest earning supporter within the same family can deduct medical expenses from taxable income. It starts to have an impact once the expenses out of pocket and after the insurance reimbursements have reached 3% of that lowest taxpayer's earnings. Example: $50,000 per year equates to $1,500 in expenses before they start to make an impact.
Also, they are deductible on a rolling calendar year as opposed to the static Jan 1 - Dec 31 calendar year. This means if you have a large expense in the later part of the year and another one in the earlier part of the next year you can couple them together so you would not have to reach that 3% threshold twice.
There is a little more to it than this, but I am confident some research would get you to where you need to be.
Oh! Also, the premiums you pay (if you pay any) for that extra insurance are deductible too.
February 17, 2025
Update, October 2026: Medical expenses are a non-refundable tax credit, not a deduction from taxable income. The 3% is of net income (line 23600), and it is capped at a fixed amount ($2,834 for 2025, $2,890 for 2026), so whichever is lower applies.
From Ask Clint: real questions from a Canadian public finance forum, answered by Clint Cole. Names are changed. This is general information, not advice for your situation, and rules and dollar figures may have changed since Clint answered. Terms