My mother's name shows up on the invoice receipt, and it was charged to her credit card. Since I paid her back 100%, would I be able to safely add the expense? The main problem is that I don't have any receipt from when I purchased it from her.
It depends. In order to take a deduction for the cost of the computer, it has to have been required for the course. Please refer to the following Turbo Tax article under "education tax credits" for additional clarification. https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Tax-Deductions-and-Credits/Can-I-Deduct-My-Computer-for-School-on-Taxes-/INF14237.html
Additionally, if you qualify to be claimed as a dependent, then your parents should claim you and they would also be eligible to claim education tax benefits for your expenses if they meet the requirements.
However, if you do NOT qualify to be claimed as a dependent, then you can claim education tax benefits based on your qualified educational expenses and you can claim expenses for the purposes of the American opportunity credit and the lifetime learning credit, even if the expenses were paid by your parent's. Please refer to pages 18 and 27 under the headings, "who can claim a dependent's expenses?" and "expenses paid by you" for additional clarification. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf
Please refer to the chart on page 12 of pub 501 to see if you meet the requirements to be claimed as a dependent. If either the qualifying child or qualifying relative requirements are met, you can be claimed as a dependent as long as the requirements that are listed above the qualifying child and qualifying relative sections, are met. Please be aware that if you lived with you parent's when you were not away at school, the time spent at school is treated as a temporary absence. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf.
Are your parents claiming you as a dependent on their tax return?
It depends. In order to take a deduction for the cost of the computer, it has to have been required for the course. Please refer to the following Turbo Tax article under "education tax credits" for additional clarification. https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Tax-Deductions-and-Credits/Can-I-Deduct-My-Computer-for-School-on-Taxes-/INF14237.html
Additionally, if you qualify to be claimed as a dependent, then your parents should claim you and they would also be eligible to claim education tax benefits for your expenses if they meet the requirements.
However, if you do NOT qualify to be claimed as a dependent, then you can claim education tax benefits based on your qualified educational expenses and you can claim expenses for the purposes of the American opportunity credit and the lifetime learning credit, even if the expenses were paid by your parent's. Please refer to pages 18 and 27 under the headings, "who can claim a dependent's expenses?" and "expenses paid by you" for additional clarification. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf
Please refer to the chart on page 12 of pub 501 to see if you meet the requirements to be claimed as a dependent. If either the qualifying child or qualifying relative requirements are met, you can be claimed as a dependent as long as the requirements that are listed above the qualifying child and qualifying relative sections, are met. Please be aware that if you lived with you parent's when you were not away at school, the time spent at school is treated as a temporary absence. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf.