I have an additional $892.40 spent on books. Can I add that to education deductions and increase my refund amount? If so, how? Thank you!

[SidneyP · Accepted solution]

Education expenses, such as books, are under the Deductions and Credits tab called Education.

[Carl]

The only qualified education expenses are tuition, books and lab fees. So if you paid for the books in 2018 (assuming your question refers to your 2018 tax return) then you can claim them. Do note that the program will specifically and explicitly ask you for what you spent on books. If it does not ask, then it's because you don't qualify to claim books. Generally, only an undergraduate can claim the cost of books. For a graduate student books are not a qualified education expense. Don't know why. But that just "the way it is."

[Texas Roger]

If your qualified education expenses for tuition and fees were $4000 or more, you will not get an additional credit from adding the expenses for books.  $4000 is the maximum deduction amount for the up to $2500 of American Opportunity Credit which is the only credit that allows the deduction of books.