College textbooks

[oceanlovin'ea]

This question is regarding qualified educations costs. Book says "Books if bought from school and not available elsewhere" .

Client has receipts from FAMU bookstore for books bought for daughter's college courses. She said books are not available at other stores.

Would this be a qualified expense along with tuition?

Linda F

[Chief]

College Textbooks

Linda, You can't overlook the fact that college students today order their textbooks from Amazon.com. So I would say they are available elsewhere. The only books I would say that are not available elsewhere are photocopied works of the instructors. If they are printed by a commercial printer the odds they are available elsewhere.

[Brad Imsdahl]

TTB, page 12-2 under Qualified Education Expenses says, "Activity fees and expenses for books, and supplies and equipment are qualified expenses only if they must be paid to the institution as a condition of enrollment or attendance. Books, even if purchased at a campus bookstore, are generally not qualified expenses since they can be obtained elsewhere. Student activity fees that fund such things as newspapers and student government qualify if payment is not optional."

[oceanlovin'ea]

Thanks

That was the way I read it too but I just wanted to double check for her benefit, let her know that I would check it out for her.

Thanks.

Linda F