Can a Swimming Pool Be a Tax-Deductible Medical Expense?

Can a Swimming Pool Be a Tax-Deductible Medical Expense?

When you’re in pain, floating weightlessly in a swimming pool can restore your comfort. Finding a comfortable way to exercise your body is also important when you live with a chronic health condition. While people tend to think of swimming pools as being solely for fun, you might have more serious reasons for wanting to spend time in the water. A swimming pool can be written off as a medical expense, but there are a few caveats. Learning about how and when you might be able to write off a new pool can help you decide if one might be deemed a medical necessity for your situation.

Understand How Pools Help People with Certain Medical Conditions

Swimming pools are typically viewed as luxury amenities people can choose to have installed in their yards. However, people with certain medical conditions often view them as more therapeutic than anything else. For instance, someone with osteoporosis may be unable to do many forms of exercise due to the potential of breaking a bone, or someone with severe arthritis may need a therapy pool for both exercise and relief from chronic pain. Once you see how swimming pools help people with serious health conditions, you might be able to identify how one can help you or a family member at your home.

Make Sure the Pool Is Only Used for Medical Purposes

Certain types of tax deductions allow you to base them on a percentage of their usage. For instance, you might be able to write off a home office based on the percentage of how much of the room is actually used for work versus other purposes. Swimming pools don’t work that way. Instead, you need to be able to claim and prove the pool is only used for medical purposes. If you have family members or friends who swim there recreationally, it likely can’t be legally labeled as a medical expense.

Obtain Proof of the Medical Necessity

To claim your pool as a medical expense, you’ll need to itemize your deductions. This typically raises your audit risk, which means you’ll want to be extra cautious about making sure you can prove the pool’s medical necessity. Make sure to get any doctor recommendations for using a swimming pool for therapy in writing.

Often, someone may need to use a special pool for therapy sessions, but there might not be one located close by. You may also choose to install features on your custom outdoor pool that are vital for your safety and comfort. Putting in a wheelchair lift or zero-depth entrance can make it clear you use it for special medical purposes.

Explore Additional Options for Savings

In addition to writing the pool off as a deduction, you might have other options for tax savings. If you have a flexible spending account or health savings account, you might be able to use these funds to cover a portion of the pool’s cost. Business owners may be able to set up Section 105 reimbursement plans that would allow them to deduct the cost of medically necessary pools. Exploring all your options helps you make the best decision for increasing the affordability of a swimming pool that boosts your wellbeing.

Even if your pool isn’t tax-deductible, the benefits it offers in terms of exercise, relaxation, and social activity aren’t measurable in dollars. If you’re ready to add a pool to your home, make sure to have it built by a premier San Diego pool builder. San Diego Pools has a top-notch team of experienced pool design and construction experts who are dedicated to building the pool that’s perfect for your family and providing you with the highest-quality service in the industry. Give us a call today at 888-707-7786.

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