Lawmakers Seek Tax Credit for Assisting Family Members
       To ease the cost of caring for elderly family members, Rep. Kevin Murphy (D-Lowell) urged lawmakers Tuesday to support a new tax credit. The bill (H 2266), sponsored by members of the Lowell-area delegation, would allow a taxpayer to deduct up to $2,000 in health care costs incurred by assisting a non-immediate family member. Family members can deduct some medical expenses on their federal income tax forms currently, Murphy said, but Massachusetts has no medical deduction category. Murphy said he was unsure of other states that allow such a plan or what it would cost the state in lost tax revenue, but he planned to get that information for the committee.
       “I know things like this are very difficult,” he said. “But I think it reflects a change in society.” Gov. Mitt Romney has a similar plan that would allow family members to deduct up to $10,000 on their income taxes if a parent or elderly relative lives with them, or deduct $2,000 for purchasing durable medical equipment. Murphy was the only person to testify today during a Revenue Committee hearing on 27 bills offering different tax credits or deductions. Sen. Cynthia Creem (D-Newton), co-chairwoman of the committee, said many of the bills are similar to ones that the committee heard at a previous hearing and was not surprised many people did not show up.