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Hearing impairment – SARS Additional Medical Expenses Tax Credit
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) makes provision for persons with disabilities in the form of an additional medical expenses tax credit. Disability in this context for tax purposes implies a moderate to severe limitation of any person’s ability to function or perform daily activities. This can be as a result of a physical, sensory (including hearing), communication, intellectual or mental impairment. The limitation (and the extent thereof) will only be regarded as a disability if it has lasted, or has a prognosis of lasting, more than a year and it has been diagnosed by a duly registered medical practitioner trained to diagnose the applicable disability or to express an opinion thereon.
Most individuals using hearing aids will qualify for this, even in some cases of only mild hearing loss. There are however cases where a hearing loss warrants the use of a hearing aid but do not necessarily fulfill in the minimum requirements as required by SARS. Limitations in hearing for tax purposes and are defined as follows:
Hearing disability is defined as the functional limitations resulting from a hearing impairment. Hearing impairment is a sensory impairment that will influence verbal communication between speaker and listener.
ADULTS: An adult is considered moderately to severely hearing impaired when the hearing loss is described as follows without the use of amplification:
- Bilateral hearing loss with a pure tone average equal to or greater than 25 dBHL in each ear.
- Unilateral hearing loss with pure tone average equal to or greater than 40 dBHL in the affected ear.
CHILDREN: A child is considered moderately – severely hearing impaired when the hearing loss is as follows without the use amplification:
- Bilateral hearing loss with a pure tone average greater than 15 dBHL in each ear.
- Unilateral hearing loss with a pure tone average equal to or greater than 20 dBHL in the affected ear.
- Hearing impairment is an abnormal or reduced function in hearing resulting from an auditory disorder.
- A child is a person between the ages of 0 to 18 years.
- Amplification devices include hearing aids, implantable devices and assistive listening devices.
- Pure Tone Average (PTA): average of hearing sensitivity thresholds (in decibel hearing level) to pure tone signals at 0.5kHz & 1kHz, 2kHz & 4kHz of each ear.
- Bilateral hearing loss is a hearing sensitivity loss in both ears.
- Unilateral hearing loss is a hearing sensitivity loss in one ear only
To find out whether you qualify for this contact us, we can complete these forms for you.
You can download the for here: ITR-DD-Confirmation-of-Diagnosis-of-Disability-External-Form – YVDW WEBSITE
Read more on this benefit on the SARS Website here.
HOW MUCH CAN YOU SAVE?
Use this handy calculator to find out how much you can save:
https://acgconsult.co.za/how-much-can-i-save%3F
26 Comments
Hi I have a 2year old child who is profoundly deaf all the tests have been conducted and it is confirmed that he will not talk because of his hearing loss. I have a medical aid from Polmed but it does not cover for the cochlear implant that is needed for the child to be able to hear and communicate with his family. There is a shortfall of R92400 that we cannot be able to cover can you please assist on funding me on this situations.
Unfortunately, we cannot assist with financing or funding. Consult with the Cochlear Implant Unit that you used for funding options, or an ex gratia application at Polmed. All the best Yolande
Good morning
My name is Mathubamahle Maseko and I am 33 years old.
I have a problem that I just found something about, 2009 I got a learnership from Mittal but they picked up I had hearing loss and got myself hearing aids and I was able to continue with my training. Fast forward 2015 I got a post to be employed permanently and I was turned away because of my hearing loss
Continued to work for contractors, while I was working under the conditions that my audiologist mentioned
Every time when I did medical I had to show them my audiologist report
On Tuesday I went for medical again and this time they picked up my hearing loss was 6.7 percent more
Then I was informed that I should have claimed to be compensated and I don’t know anything about it.
Can you please advise me
Thank you
Mathubamahle Maseko
Good day! We can definitely assist you – although it is better that you come in for an appointment so that we can have a look at everything! yolande@spectrum-hearing.co.za / 0126533830
Môre Yolanda
Stuur asb vir my die nodige documentaries vir SARS Indian ek kwalifiseer.
By voorbaat dankie
Maak vir jou so!
Môre Yolandé
Stuur asb vir my die nodige documentasie vir SARS Indien ek kwalifiseer.
By voorbaat dankie
Maak vir jou so!
Hi Yolande
Hy dad has real bad hearing loss and has been living with it for the last 30 years. My parents do have medical aid but they do not cover hearing aids. He is a pensioner and can not afford to pay for it himself, is there any advice you can help with?
Regards
Karen
Hi Karen, sorry to hear that. We have options to pay off the instruments if needs be. Also – good to know that some really good technology has filtered down to more affordable price ranges. Do you have any hearing test results for him? You can send me an email: yolande@spectrum-hearing.co.za and lets see what can be done!
Hi Yolande
My nephew is doing matric and has a hearing impairment. My sister is not working so she can’t afford getting him a hearing aid. I worried that his impairment might affect his matric results, is there any advice you can offer on this matter?
Good day, I am sorry to hear about this. The best would be to assist him and take him to a government hospital so that they can give him a hearing device there? Alternatively some private practice might be able to offer a payment solution.
I have ringing in ny kept ear ? going fir CT SCAN sign at Tygerberg Hospital
I have ringing in ny kept ear ? going fir CT SCAN sign at Tygerberg Hospital
Good luck, I hope you can get to the bottom of it! Also remember to consult with your Audiologist!
Good day, my husband which is a pensioner went for a free hearing test yesterday. He has severe hearing loss and need hearing aids for both ears. I am not sure if my medical aid will cover this as the quote is ranging from R21 000.00 to R32 000.00 per ear! I am sure there must be cheaper but good options. I am so scared we are being taking for a ride, not being used in dealing with this type of situation.
Hi Sue, I sent you an email 🙂 Please be on the lookout in your mailbox!
Hi there just to comment on Sue. I recently discovered I had hearing loss in both ears after tested by work as well by audiologist. The audiologist ordered for me on medical aid and surprisingly it was just over R16000 of which the medical aid paid the whole amount. I’m on Bonita’s standard options.
Ps … Yolanda approximately how much am I entitled to claim for my hearing loss which is about 10% both ears
Good day! Thank you for enquiring. Unfortunately I’m no tax expert 🙂 – But can can read more about the specifics right here: https://acgconsult.co.za/how-much-can-i-save%3F
My husband and I are Sassa pensioners. He has a hearing aid signa but he can no longer hear with the hearing aid. We cannot afford to buy him the hearing aid he desperately needs. I have been given hearing aids (look similar to the ones sold on Takealot) but I don’t know if the hearing aid works or what size battery it takes.
He cannot hear when I speak to him and he gets very frustrated.
Can you help? We live in Strand Western Cape.
Good day Sandy, I am so sorry to hear about your predicament.
We would love to help – but unfortunately we are based in Gauteng only.
I would suggest that you contact an audiologist in your area to find out if they can assist with any second hand hearing aids perhaps.
Regards
Good day, I have hearing loss and worked all my life with this problem even answering switchboard dealing with clients and co workers. I found it out so late in life and it becomes a big problem at work. Yusuf Dadoo hospital (Audio Clinic) tested my ears and got hearing aids for both ears then after years got send over to Leratong Hospital (Audio Clinic) where they tested my ears and only gave me one hearing aid. When i answer the switchboard or have conversations with co workers or public i feel retarded bcs i just go yes or agree on all but mean time i could not make out what they saying. And work wise its affecting my work 100% nolienn@gmail.com
Good day Dalene, thank you for enquiring and I am sorry to hear that you are struggling so so much. It does sound as if the hearing aids are not working optimally for you. I would suggest that you consult with a private independent audiologist who follows best practice protocols to ensure that your hearing aid is firstly functioning optimally and adjusted 100% according to your needs. The hearing instruments might also not be suited 100% for your hearing loss, lifestyle and needs. You are welcome to contact us if you need assistance!
Good day I have just had an audiologist appointment for hearing loss and the verdict is I need two hearing aids and was quoted above R35K for Oticon Intent 3 miniRite with charger but being a pensioner, I find the price beyond my budget. In the 1990 I was registered with The Workmen’s Compensation for hearing loss but cannot find the cards issued to me. I never submitted any claim as I believed that in the case of an incident and being injured as a result of my loss of hearing I would forfeit any right to claim for said injury. At age 70 I cannot understand the need for having latest technology hearing aids that can link to my phone or TV transmission.
Would the Commissioner still cover my hearing loss claim?
Good Day,
Please can you advise if I qualify for disability tax credits and tax rebates for my son. He was born with a disability – He is deaf in 1 ear, the 1 ear is also deformed.
thank you
Good day Tammy.
from your description it sounds as if you would qualify – although I would need to have a look at the results!
Has his hearing loss been treated – if so, his audiologist would be able to complete the form!
Regards
Spectrum Hearing