The IRS Says Face Masks, Hand Sanitizer, and Wipes are Tax Deductible

Face masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes can qualify as medical expenses for tax deductions, according to the IRS.

Taxpayers can qualify for the deduction if they have medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted gross income and they itemize their tax returns.

If they just take the standard deduction and don’t itemize expenses, the IRS is still offering tax relief. Those taxpayers can use health accounts, like flexible spending arrangements, to pay for those costs.

On top of the personal protective items, there's a bunch of medical costs that can come with tax benefits. Payments for false teeth, reading or prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, crutches and wheelchairs all count toward the write-off and can also be paid for by many health accounts.