Ok, I need to understand this: if you get braces you're entitled to tax back?

Cellar_Door

I went for a consultation about getting braces (I'm in my 20s), and I was told something like I'm entitled to get back the money I paid in taxes the previous year.

Is this true? Can someone educamate me about this?

Gunth

Hi Cellar Door. If you proceed with the braces you will be entitled to claim back 20% of the total in tax relief. Last year this was 41% but due to changes in the budget last December this was reduced to 20%. Whatever you paid in taxes in previous years will not make any difference.

Cellar_Door

So, it doesn't make any difference if I'm currently employed or not?

I worked for most of last year, but right now I'm unemployed.

I was thinking I had to get the braces this year to avail of the tax back - but that doesn't matter? I am entitled to 20% of the money back regardless?

Gunth

Hi Cellar Door. Unfortunately you can only get tax relief if you are paying tax. If you proceed to get braces this year, whatever you did in previous years (prior to 2009) is irrelevant. If you are now out of work you are not entitled to tax relief. If you can get work before the end of the year you need to have grossed more than €20,000 i.e. passed the amount where you are paying tax so that you can get relief of 20%. One option might be to get braces now but to pay in inslallments over the course of treatment and hopefully you will be in employment at some stage and you will be able to get tax relief on the installments that you pay to the orthodontist whilst working. Hope this makes sense.

Cellar_Door

Compared to, say Dublin or the midlands?

I don't mind paying a little extra for good quality care.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

To tell you the truth it is about the same when you take the travel, fuel etc. Go to your local orthodontst. You will have to go 12-24 times anyway over a 1-3 year period. Braces in the North are at cheapest 2500 pounds in the south the cheapest is around 3000 euro. You decide.

Orthodontics by a orthodontist not a general dentist.

Cellar_Door

Allison Tender Spokeswoman wrote: »

To tell you the truth it is about the same when you take the travel, fuel etc. Go to your local orthodontst. You will have to go 12-24 times anyway over a 1-3 year period. Braces in the North are at cheapest 2500 pounds in the south the cheapest is around 3000 euro. You decide.

Orthodontics by a orthodontist not a general dentist.

Thanks Allison Tender Spokeswoman.

Cellar_Door

Gunth wrote: »

Hi Cellar Door. Unfortunately you can only get tax relief if you are paying tax. If you proceed to get braces this year, whatever you did in previous years (prior to 2009) is irrelevant. If you are now out of work you are not entitled to tax relief. If you can get work before the end of the year you need to have grossed more than €20,000 i.e. passed the amount where you are paying tax so that you can get relief of 20%. One option might be to get braces now but to pay in inslallments over the course of treatment and hopefully you will be in employment at some stage and you will be able to get tax relief on the installments that you pay to the orthodontist whilst working. Hope this makes sense.

All I can say is: F*ck that sh*t.

Thanks for your help.

Sharpshooter

Apologies for moving this from AHs, I am only now noticing that OP has already 2 threads here on the same subject.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Cellar Door, appreciate the input into the forum, but could you please keep the number of threads on the same topic to a minimium, thanks
Bunch of threads merged

georgieporgy

Cellar_Door wrote: »

Compared to, say Dublin or the midlands?

I don't mind paying a little extra for good quality care.

There is a real good guy down in Kilarney. Dan Hounihan I think is his name.

Cellar_Door

Gunth wrote: »

Hi Cellar Door. Unfortunately you can only get tax relief if you are paying tax. If you proceed to get braces this year, whatever you did in previous years (prior to 2009) is irrelevant. If you are now out of work you are not entitled to tax relief. If you can get work before the end of the year you need to have grossed more than €20,000 i.e. passed the amount where you are paying tax so that you can get relief of 20%. One option might be to get braces now but to pay in inslallments over the course of treatment and hopefully you will be in employment at some stage and you will be able to get tax relief on the installments that you pay to the orthodontist whilst working. Hope this makes sense.

Hey Gunth, thanks for your answer.

One follow up question:

What if I got, say, someone in my family to pay for my braces. Would they be entitled to the tax back? Is that legal?

kelle

Cellar_Door wrote: »

What if I got, say, someone in my family to pay for my braces. Would they be entitled to the tax back? Is that legal?

I can't imagine it could be done as the bills would need to be issued in the same name as your medical notes, and it wouldn't make a difference who paid it.

georgieporgy

Cellar_Door wrote: »

Hey Gunth, thanks for your answer.

One follow up question:

What if I got, say, someone in my family to pay for my braces. Would they be entitled to the tax back? Is that legal?

Yes they can claim if they are paying on your behalf. eg parent paying for child ( even big kids!) or grandparents or spouse. You can call the tax dept to get exact details.

Sigma Force

Just spotted this thread, I got braces last year no idea if I can claim anything, I'm not working but hubby is. I heard somewhere that I can claim tax back because basically he's forking out for it anyone any ideas?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Get your Med 2 form filled in and return it to the revenue, if your husband is making a return as a married individual then you are certainly due some tax back......get on the case NOW...

gccorcaigh

You can get your husband to claim the tax back for you. He has to fill out a Med 1 form, accompanied by the Med 2 form.