At tax time, most of us go straight. But every year, the IRS doesn’t make sense of a huge number of creative and just plain bizarre tax deduction claims.
Some are dismissed out of hand, but others are so strange, they’re completely legal. The IRS receives thousands of tax claims annually, but some are so absurd, they sound as if they would fit into a stand-up routine.
IRS finds no sense in these odd but legal tax deductions
Believe it or not, the IRS does not find any logic in deductions for body oil, swimming pools, and cat food, but in very specific situations, even these have been allowed. While the agency does not encourage bending the rules, it also recognizes that every situation is unique.
Let’s break down some of the top 10 weirdest deductions that have caused tax professionals and IRS officials to do a double take.
IRS doesn’t make sense of deductions. Or does it?
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The following are the weirdest (and occasionally approved) deductions that make you wonder what else would qualify:
- Swimming pool for therapeutic purposes: One taxpayer with severe arthritis got a deduction for installing a swimming pool, because their doctor prescribed aquatic therapy. Documentation and a direct health benefit were required.
- Cat food as a business expense: A junkyard owner used cat food to attract stray cats to fend off rodents. Because it helped in the maintenance of the property, it was somehow approved.
- Breast implants for business branding: A dancer managed to deduct her breast implants as a business expense, stating that they were vital to her career. The IRS accepted it as a “stage prop.”
- Clarinet lessons to fix an overbite: A child’s music lessons were subtracted when a doctor claimed that playing the clarinet would straighten teeth, indeed, that did it.
- Body oil for bodybuilders: In a case right out of the pages of a muscle magazine, a pro bodybuilder deducted body oil as a business expense for competitions. Accepted with receipts.
- Total service for dog’s full care: A man who had a medical need for his service dog deducted vet bills, food, and grooming. The IRS allows these when related to a medical condition.
- Babysitting costs while volunteering for charity: A taxpayer deducted babysitter costs while volunteering for a charity. Because the volunteer work was uncompensated, the deduction was allowed.
- Wigs for emotional support: When a patient undergoing medical treatment needed a wig to cope with hair loss, the cost was written off. This is a medical necessity.
- A private airplane to visit clients: A business consultant deducted the cost of flying his plane to visit clients. Travel documentation had to be flawless to be approved.
- Landscaping a business home: A couple deducted the cost of landscaping their home because they used it to produce content for their gardening YouTube channel.
Think twice before getting too creative with your taxes
Although the list above might make you think twice, it is important to remember that it needs to be substantiated by proper record-keeping. If you’re pushing the envelope, consult a tax professional to be safe. Just because another person got through doesn’t mean the same rule will apply to your case.
Audits are no joke, and while the IRS has allowed some bizarre deductions, it is never a guarantee. While the IRS finds no sense in many deductions at face value, the law sometimes tells a different story.
The key is to understand the intent behind each expense, prove its connection to your income or health, and ensure full transparency. These top 10 weirdest deductions when filing taxes serve as a reminder that strange doesn’t always mean wrong, just make sure you’ve got the paperwork to back it up.
