I started school in February 2017. However, I bought a laptop in 2016 for my program. Where can I claim this expense?

I was not enrolled in the program until 2017.

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I started school in February 2017. However, I bought a laptop in 2016 for my program. Where can I claim this expense?

YES

You can claim expenses for education expenses of the year and the first 3 months of the next year.

However; you might not meet the requirement of having been a full-time student for eligibility of certain credits.

According to the IRS:

“Prepaid expenses. Qualified education expenses paid in 2016 for an academic period that begins in the first 3 months of 2017 can be used in figuring an education credit for 2016 only. See Academic period, earlier. For example, if you pay $2,000 in December 2016 for qualified tuition for the 2017 winter quarter that begins in January 2017, you can use that $2,000 in figuring an education credit for 2016 only (if you meet all the other requirements). “

CLICK HERE for IRS Pub 970 Tax Benefits for Education

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I started school in February 2017. However, I bought a laptop in 2016 for my program. Where can I claim this expense?

YES

You can claim expenses for education expenses of the year and the first 3 months of the next year.

However; you might not meet the requirement of having been a full-time student for eligibility of certain credits.

According to the IRS:

“Prepaid expenses. Qualified education expenses paid in 2016 for an academic period that begins in the first 3 months of 2017 can be used in figuring an education credit for 2016 only. See Academic period, earlier. For example, if you pay $2,000 in December 2016 for qualified tuition for the 2017 winter quarter that begins in January 2017, you can use that $2,000 in figuring an education credit for 2016 only (if you meet all the other requirements). “

CLICK HERE for IRS Pub 970 Tax Benefits for Education

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