Can I Claim My Pool As an Expense on My Taxes?

In most cases, the Internal Revenue Service treats a swimming pool addition on your home as a personal expense that isn't deductible. However, there are a narrow range of circumstances in which you can get tax breaks for your pool, depending on its purpose.

Personal home additions and renovations, such as a swimming pool addition, generally aren't tax-deductible. However, the way you finance the addition may lead to some tax breaks. Using home equity financing, such as a loan or equity line of credit, offers deductions. The interest on loans secured with your property is tax-deductible. Therefore, if you take out a second mortgage or use a HELOC to finance the pool, you can normally deduct the interest.

Though rare, there have been situations where people have been able to deduct pool additions as medical expenses when itemizing taxes. To do so, the pool must be used primarily to treat medical conditions, according to TurboTax.

Emphysema and arthritis are examples of conditions that can improve with regular swimming. Getting a doctor's order or prescription to swim regularly is a helpful defense if claiming a pool as a tax break.