Did you know you can claim tax relief on medical expenses you've paid for your family members—not just yourself? Many people miss out on significant refunds because they don't realise expenses for spouses, children, and even other relatives qualify for the same 20% tax relief.
Our specialists help families maximise their medical expense claims. Here's everything you need to know about claiming for family members.
📊 Medical Relief for Family Members
- Relief rate: 20% of qualifying expenses
- Who qualifies: Spouse, children, other dependents
- One claim: One person claims for the whole family
- Backdate: Up to 4 years
Who Can You Claim Medical Expenses For?
You can claim tax relief on medical expenses you've paid for:
- Yourself
- Your spouse or civil partner
- Your children (any age, as long as you pay)
- Other relatives you maintain at your expense
- Anyone who's incapacitated and you maintain
The key is that you paid for the expense. If you paid for a parent's GP visit or your child's orthodontics, you can claim the relief.
What Expenses Qualify?
The same expenses qualify whether for yourself or family members:
- Doctor and consultant fees: GP visits, specialists, hospital consultants
- Prescribed medications: Drugs prescribed by a doctor
- Dental expenses: Most treatments (not routine check-ups)
- Orthodontics: Braces for children (very common claim)
- Physiotherapy: When prescribed or referred
- Hospital stays: Maintenance costs during treatment
- Nursing home fees: For elderly relatives
Common Family Medical Expenses
Families typically have more medical expenses than they realise:
💡 Real Example
The Murphy family had two children in braces (€7,000 total), regular GP visits, and prescriptions. They'd also been paying for elderly parent care. When we reviewed four years of family medical expenses, their refund was €2,840.
How Much Could Your Family Claim?
A typical family of four might have:
- GP visits: €500/year → €100 relief
- Prescriptions: €400/year → €80 relief
- Dental work: €800/year → €160 relief
- Orthodontics: €4,000 → €800 relief
That's over €1,000 in potential relief annually—and it can be backdated four years. Add in other family members' expenses, and the total grows significantly.
Combine with Other Reliefs
Medical expenses are just one part of your potential refund. We also check for:
- Rent tax credit – up to €1,000/year
- Work expenses – for many professions
- Emergency tax – from job changes
- Family credits – SPCCC, Home Carer, etc.
The average refund our clients receive is €1,080.
Claim Your Family's Medical Expenses
Our experts will review all your family's medical costs and find every relief.
Start Your Free Review →No refund, no fee • Average refund €1,080 • TAIN: 77632V
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim for adult children?
Yes, if you paid the expense. There's no age limit on children—if you're paying for your adult child's medical costs, you can claim the relief.
What about nursing home fees?
Nursing home fees for a qualifying relative can be claimed. This can be a significant expense—20% relief on €50,000/year of fees is €10,000 back.
Do I need separate receipts for each family member?
You don't submit receipts with your claim, but keep them for each person and expense. Revenue may request them for verification.
