Year end tax planning – Getting all you can from equipment purchases

Description

Abstract: The American Taxpayer Relief Act temporarily extended the two primary depreciation breaks: 50% bonus depreciation and Section 179 expensing. But time is running out to claim both in their existing, high-value formats. This article explains the breaks and which assets qualify for them — and how it’s possible to claim both. However, it notes that both breaks will be drastically reduced next year unless Congress acts. A sidebar reviews some key distinctions between the cost of owning an asset and the expense of operating it.