Depreciation is a term frequently used in economics and finance that describes the loss of value over time. Depreciation can affect any asset, such as cars, real estate, stocks and even currency. Depreciation can arise from a variety of factors such as wear and tear, obsolescence and economic factors like demand for the asset. Depreciation can be both advantageous and disadvantageous.
It allows businesses to account for the slow degradation of the equipment as it is used throughout its life. A value is assigned to the asset and gradually expensed throughout the years it is used. This is designed to accurately reflect the usefulness of the object to the business, and therefore its value.
Below are the advantages of depreciation on properties:
It reduces start-up deductions
This option can reduce start-up costs by increasing deductions that are taken during your business’s first years of operation. This will allow you to reduce your overall business tax debt, which means that you will have more money that you can use for marketing, purchasing equipment and growing your company. This also means that you will have increased chances to succeed in the market.
It allows you to take a higher upfront deduction
Another huge advantage of accelerated depreciation is that it allows you to immediately take a higher deduction, and so, you can reduce your current tax bills. This is really helpful especially when you have a new business that might be having problems with short-term cash flow. Also, by maximizing deductions today, you will be able to avoid delayed deductions in the future when it happens that your business no longer exists.
It works as a tax deferral
As this depreciation system creates increased deductions, your business will be able to defer a portion of its tax debt. If your company is trying to reduce taxes that it currently owes, deferring tax debts with the use of this approach will provide you additional time before the time when you must pay your taxes in full amount.
It helps in replacing of assets
Assets used in the business need to be replaced after the expiry of their useful life. Depreciation can be taken as a source of fund for replacing worn out asset by a new asset. Thus, depreciation charges help in accumulating funds for the replacement of an asset.
It saves some taxes
The profit and loss account will show more profits if depreciation is not charged on asset. So, the business needs to pay more income tax to the government. Depreciation charges on assets save the amount of tax equivalent to tax rate. Since it is shown as expense in the profit and loss account, it reduces the amount of the profit.