Legal Definitions - accelerated depreciation

Accelerated depreciation is a way for businesses to depreciate a larger portion of an asset's value earlier in its life. This is different from straight-line depreciation, where the asset's value is depreciated evenly over its useful life.

One common method of accelerated depreciation is called MACRS. This method allows businesses to take larger depreciation deductions in the early years of an asset's life, which can be beneficial for cash flow and tax purposes.

For example, let's say a business purchases a delivery truck for $50,000. Using straight-line depreciation, the business would deduct $10,000 per year for five years. However, using MACRS, the business could deduct $20,000 in the first year, $32,000 in the second year, and so on. This means the business can deduct more in the early years, which can help with cash flow and reduce taxable income.

Accelerated depreciation is generally preferred by businesses because it follows the principle of the time-value of money. This means that money received earlier is more valuable than money received later. By taking larger depreciation deductions earlier, businesses can save money in the long run.