Computer as Education deduction

[tgore3rd]

My spouse and I purchased a computer last year primarily for her college courses.  Can we claim this as an education expense?  The computer was financed by me (in my name), but we file jointly.

[Bsch4477 · Accepted solution]

Generally, if your computer is a necessary requirement for enrollment or attendance at an educationalinstitution, the IRS deems it a qualifying expense. If you are using the computer simply out of convenience, it most likely does not qualify for a tax credit. It doesn’t matter who actually paid for it. 

[Carl]

If the need for a computer or Internet access was clearly identified in any one course syllabus for any course she was enrolled in, then the purchase of the computer would fall under the auspices of the 'Lab fees and Equipment" category.

An example would be if she was required to submit assignments on line. While a computer may not have been clearly identified as a student requirement, if submitting assignments online was, then it's obvious you can't do that without a computer.

[YueStevieM7]

In mid fall 2022 semester I bought a Surface Pro because all of our homework was online, everything had to be typed, and I could not use my phone to do all of this. I could not use school computers because my work hours were when school was open. So, it was not online-only but EVERYTHING is presented and turned in online. So, is that necessity or convenience?

[Bsch4477]

Necessity.