The wording is confusing. If it can be bought using funds from a 529, when? Would I have to wait until I start college? Or could I buy it now, since I will be using it for college?
Judging from the FAQ’s on the IRS website, yes. As long as you use it for or while at college.
yes if its for educational purposes (college)
What’s considered a valid college expense weirdly varies by source of money. For a 529, housing and computers count. If you have scholarship money that exceeds the cost of tuition & fees, it is taxable unless it’s used for college expenses. For that purpose, housing doesn’t count, and computers only count if they’re explicitly required by the university. Goes beyond your question, but it’s something that confused me when I was trying to sort out what to use college money for.