if i purchase an office computer $1500 on Nov 1, 2009 charging to credit card, may i deduct it as 2010 expense?

Depending on the size of your business, you don't really expense something that is $1,500. You depreciate it over a period of years. If you have net business income, then you may take advantage of Section 179, which is similar to "expensing" it.

If you buy the computer and leave it in its box until January 1, then you can include it as a 2010 expenditure. (Depreciation doesn't start until you place the asset in service.) The downside is that you can only depreciate the Fair Market Value (FMV). Computers drip in value quickly, so a $1,500 computer on november 1st may only be worth $1,000 in two months.

I hope this helps.
Gary

No you bought it in 2009. It is when you bought it, not when you pay your credit card. Buy it in january, instead.

You deduct the expense when you make the purchase, not when you pay the credit card bill.

That is IF the purchase is a deductible expense.

yes
in essence when you used your credit card, you have purchased it the date it is charged to your account
you merely have obligated a note payable on the purchase, but it is your possession

you should be depreciating something like that over 3 yrs, so you would get 12 months of depreciation in 2010 and 2 months worth in 2009