Hello,

I am a hospital based employee. I pay for my own disability insurance. My employer provides me with an option for me to contribute up to $5,000 to a business expense reimbursement account, from which they then reimburse me for business related expenses (gas, car repairs, car insurance etc). My question is if I can submit my disability insurance premiums as a business expense? I pay for these personally. My disability insurance is very specific to my field of practice as I am a surgeon.

Zip Code: 68022

Hello. I would start by asking your employer if they would let you submit your DI premiums for reimbursement through your account.

If your employer does allow for that, please note that if you do not submit your premiums for reimbursement, you will pay those premiums with post-tax dollars, and any benefits received will be tax-free to you. If you put the premiums through the business reimbursement account, they will be paid with pre-tax dollars which would make any benefits received fully taxable.

Hopefully someone at your employer will be able to give you an answer to what on the surface seems like a simple question.

Zip Code: 01801