Mask up and save: Some US taxpayers can write off COVID PPE

The US Internal Revenue Service issued guidelines stipulating that taxpayers can in some cases deduct money spent on personal protective equipment such as masks, hand sanitiser and sanitising wipes from their taxes.

Face masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes can qualify as medical expenses for tax deductions or can be paid for with money from tax-advantaged health accounts, the Internal Revenue Service announced Friday. “The purchase of personal protective equipment, such as masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of coronavirus are deductible medical expenses,” the agency said in a statement. 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. Generally, only a small percentage of taxpayers itemize their taxes and an even smaller portion meet the threshold for medical deductions.