WHERE CAN I LIST A LAPTOP I PURCHASED FOR MY SCHOOL WORK?, I WANT THE CREDIT?

[0204elijah]

HOW TO FILE LAPTOP CREDIT?

[Hal_Al · Accepted solution]

Add your lap top cost to your book costs and enter at "Books and materials".  That screen will come up in the education interview after entering your 1098-T. 

Computers may be counted if they are needed as a condition of enrollment or attendance at the school.

There's a new urban myth among college students that says they can get a $1000 from the government just for filing a tax form. For most of them, they simply aren't eligible. A full time unmarried student, under age 24, is only eligible for the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit if he supports himself by working. You cannot be supporting yourself on parental support, 529 plans or student loans & grants. You usually must have actually paid tuition, not had it paid by scholarships & grants.  It is usually best if the parent claims that credit. 

You cannot claim a credit if you are, or can be, claimed as a dependent by someone else.

[Carl]

If having a computer is a condition of enrollment in any one course, and is clearly identified as such in the syllabus for that course, *AND* the computer was purchased to meet that condition of enrollment, then you claim it as a part of "books and materials".

Make sure to keep your receipts for all purchases. I advise that because if audited and you can't prove *when* you purchased it, that may be a problem. Sometimes students try to claim the purchase of a computer they bought 6 months before the syllabus was printed. That makes it quite obvious the purchase was not to meet the course requirements.