New Tax Credit for people with Celiac Disease

People who suffer from Celiac Disease are now able to claim a portion of the costs associated with this disease such as Gluten Free products as a medical expense.
 
The costs you are able to claim are the “incremental cost” of purchasing a Gluten Free item over a similar non-Gluten Free product. Such items include bread, bagels, muffins and cereal as well as rice flour or Gluten Free spices. This list is just an example of the products that eligible for the deduction.
 
Here are some answers to questions you may have regarding claiming these expenses, these are taken directly from the Canada Revenue Agency website:
 
What documents do I need to support a claim for the medical expense tax credit?
If you are filing a paper return, include the following supporting documentation. If you are filing electronically keep the following supporting documentation in case we ask to see them at a later date:
  • a letter from a medical practitioner confirming the person suffers from celiac disease and requires GF products as a result of that disease;
  • a summary of each item purchased during the 12-monthperiod for which the expenses are being claimed (a sample summary is shown below); and
  • a receipt to support the cost shown in column (4) of each GF product or intermediate product claimed.
What if there are several people consuming the GF products?     
If several people consume the products, only the costs related to the part of the product consumed by the person with celiac disease are to be used in calculating the medical expense tax credit.
 
Cross & Co. offers personal income tax & tax return filing services. If you qualify for this deduction or if you have any questions regarding the information above please contact our office.