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Hi neighbors,

Well, the bloom is off the wonderful medical deduction the Canadian Income
Tax system is giving celiacs. Reality has arrived (after doing the numbers)
and the conclusion is dawning that we weren't really the recipients of a
just and long overdue concession.  We were hoodwinked.

I'm wondering how it works for American celiacs.  In Canada, we have to have
a medical claim amount that is more than 3% of our Net income, but less than
$1750 (this last amt is an arbitrary amt set each year by some unknown
formula).  As we're not allowed to include mileage or delivery charges like
you are, the only substantial  gf items that provide a claim amount are
soups, baked goods, including cookies & breads, buns & packaged gluten free
mixes. The rest of the groceries, as you probably also figured out, have a
time cost (reading labels) but not a big difference in price between gf and
similar gluten containing foods.

At this point, the only way we (in Canada) can even include a claim for
gluten free food costs are if you are earning minimum wages, or if we happen
to have other medical expenses that can be claimed for the same tax year.

If we do have enough to make a claim, we don't get the whole amt back.
Another formula is applied and we might get a percentage, as long as
everything else on our income tax form is ok.

Under your regulations, do you have to have a claim that is above a certain
dollar amount like we do?  Do you get the whole amt refunded or is it a
percentage?  Is your medical claim proving it's worth?

Helen in Vancouver, BC

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