Tax Research Issues for the Larues’ Current-Year Expenditures

Linda Larue has arthritis. Her chiropractor advised her that she needed to swim daily to alleviate her pain and other symptoms. Consequently, Linda and her husband, Philo, purchased for $400,000 a new home that had a swimming pool, after selling their old home for $325,000. If the Larues had constructed a pool at their former residence, it would have cost $75,000 to build, and it would have increased the value of their home by $50,000.
a.List as many possible tax research issues as you can to determine whether the Larues can deduct any of their current-year expenditures for Linda’s arthritis.
b.After completing your list of tax research issues, list the keywords you might use to construct an online tax research query.
c.Execute an online search using your query. For simplicity, select the IRS Revenue Rulings database from whichever online tax service you use. Summarize your findings.

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Sample Answer

 

A. Tax Research Issues for the Larues’ Current-Year Expenditures:

1. Medical Expense Deduction: Can the expenses related to the swimming pool be considered a medical expense for tax deduction purposes?
2. Home Improvement Deduction: Is the cost of building a swimming pool at a new home deductible as a home improvement expense?
3. Capital Expenditure vs. Repair: Is the cost of the swimming pool considered a capital expenditure or a repair expense?
4. Increase in Property Value: Would the increase in property value due to the swimming pool affect the deductibility of expenses?
5. Qualification Criteria: Do the expenses meet the IRS criteria for deductibility under medical or home improvement categories?
6. Alternative Treatments: Are there other medical treatments that could have been chosen and their deductibility compared to building a swimming pool?

B. Keywords for Online Tax Research Query:

– Swimming pool medical expense deduction IRS
– Home improvement expenses tax deduction rules
– Capital expenditure vs. repair IRS guidelines
– Medical expense deduction criteria IRS
– Property value increase tax implications
– IRS rules on deducting home improvements for medical reasons

C. Online Search Summary:

After conducting a search in the IRS Revenue Rulings database, it was found that IRS Revenue Ruling 94-38 addresses a situation where a taxpayer incurred expenses to construct a therapeutic swimming pool as a medical expense. The ruling states that if the primary purpose of the swimming pool is for medical care as prescribed by a physician, the costs directly related to the construction of the pool may qualify as a medical expense deduction.

Therefore, based on this ruling, the Larues may be able to deduct the expenses related to building the swimming pool at their new home if it is deemed necessary for Linda’s arthritis treatment as advised by her chiropractor. It is essential for them to keep detailed records and consult with a tax professional to ensure compliance with IRS regulations regarding medical expense deductions.

 

 

 

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