Cart 
It’s no secret that if you’re using assisted reproductive technology to expand your family, things can get expensive. Depending on where you live, you might have some coverage from health insurance, but every little bit of savings counts. Which brings us to tax season—can you claim your fertility treatment and IVF expenses on your taxes?
Like most things when it comes to taxes, it’s complicated. You may be eligible to claim some costs on your tax return, but this largely depends on location.
Claiming your fertility expenses on your taxes in the United States
When it comes to IVF, you can write-off unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent, and your fertility enhancement expenses are a qualified deductible expense. But make sure to only deduct the part of your costs that were not paid by your health insurance plan, Health Savings Account or an Archer Medical Savings Account. If you’re self-employed, you may be eligible for the Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction.
Tax-deductible fertility medical expenses in the United States:
- Abortion
- Acupuncture treatments
- Birth control pills
- Embryo, egg and sperm storage
- Fertility Enhancement
- IUI
- IVF
- Lab fees
- Mileage
- Non-prescription drugs and medical expenses (including supplements and vitamins if recommended by a medical provider for a medical diagnosis)
- Pregnancy test kits
- Surgical expenses
For more information, use this questionnaire to determine if you able to deduct your medical expenses.
Claiming your fertility expenses on your taxes in Canada
When it comes to fertility treatment in Canada, you can write off a number of expenses (at least partially), though this differs from province-to-province. It also gets a bit complicated because some fertility treatment costs are covered in some provinces (for example, in Ontario, provincial healthcare covers one IVF cycle, but this doesn’t include the cost of storage or medication) and some categories seem intentionally vague. It’s best to have an accountant who is familiar with the changing Canadian allowances to help file taxes during the years you are undergoing fertility treatment. Unfortunately, supplements and vitamins cannot be claimed as a medical expense, even if prescribed.
Tax-deductible fertility medical expenses in Canada:
- Egg and sperm freezing and storage
- Fertility-related procedures (amounts paid to conceive a child)
- In-vitro fertility expenses
- Medical tests (including urine analysis and x-ray services)
- Needles and syringes (with a prescription)
- Pre-natal and post-natal treatments
- Prescription drugs and medications (when prescribed by a medical practitioner and not over the counter)
- Some expenses related to surrogacy (if they are incurred in Canada and are a type that would be otherwise permitted as a medical expense of the individual)
- Travel expenses (if over 40 kilometres away (one way), equivalent medical services were not available near you, you took a reasonable route)
For more information, check the Government of Canada website to determine if you able to deduct your medical expenses.
