[Summary]
Medical expense deduction is a typical system that you want to check in years when your family has a lot of medical expenses. In addition to hospital charges, this may cover transportation costs to and from the hospital.
Medical expense deduction is not a system that allows you to get back the medical expenses you paid. This system increases the amount that can be deducted from income, resulting in lighter income taxes and resident taxes.
In this article, we will organize the points that beginners should check first in the order in which they are most likely to stumble in practice. Since taxes vary depending on individual circumstances, please confirm the final decision with an official or specialized contact such as the National Tax Agency, local government, tax office, or tax accountant.
First, the conclusion
Medical expense deduction is not a system that allows you to get back the medical expenses you paid. This system increases the amount that can be deducted from income, resulting in lighter income taxes and resident taxes.
| Check points | way of seeing |
|---|---|
| Things that are likely to be targeted | Medical expenses, treatment costs, prescription drugs, public transportation expenses necessary for going to the hospital, etc. |
| Things that are likely to be excluded | Expenses for beauty purposes, health promotion purposes, prevention purposes, etc. |
| family portion | It may be possible to add up the amounts for families who make the same living. |
| Amount to return | The standard is the deduction amount multiplied by the tax rate. Not all medical expenses will be reimbursed. |
The important thing when reading tax articles is not just memorizing the system name. It's about looking at your income, accounts, deductions, and reporting methods separately.
common misconceptions
- I think the amount over 100,000 yen will be returned to you.
- Don't organize your receipts and medical expense notices and panic when filing your tax return.
- Forgetting to deduct the amount compensated by insurance, etc.
This is an area where it is easy to get confused just by reading the search article. In particular, "sales" and "income," "income tax" and "resident tax," and "NISA" and "taxable account" need to be treated as different things.
Order of actual checking
If you are confused, it will be easier to organize if you check them in the following order.
- Have you tallied up one year's worth of medical expenses for each family?
- Have you confirmed the amount compensated by insurance money or benefits?
- Did you differentiate between therapeutic purposes and beauty/prevention purposes?
- Can you prepare a statement for medical expense deduction?
If it is still difficult to make a decision after looking at the above, it is safer not to leave it to your own judgment. Please check through official channels such as consultation with the tax office, the National Tax Agency's tax return preparation corner, and consultation with a tax accountant.
Summary
Deducting medical expenses doesn't end with collecting receipts. By sorting out the applicable expenses, compensation, and family contributions before filing your tax return, you will reduce unnecessary rework.
While it's hard to get away with not knowing about taxes, there's no need to fear them too much if you sort them out early. When your income increases, when you start investing, or when you want to use deductions, it is most practical to prepare your records early rather than at the end of the year.
Source/reference materials
- National Tax Agency, No.1120 When medical expenses are paid (medical expense deduction)
- Confirmation date: 2026-05-30