Legal Definitions - ACRS

ACRS

ACRS stands for Accelerated Cost-Recovery System. It is a method used by the IRS to calculate the depreciation of assets for tax purposes. Under ACRS, assets are depreciated more quickly in the early years of their useful life, which allows businesses to deduct more of the cost of the asset from their taxable income in those years.

For example, let's say a business purchases a new piece of equipment for $10,000. Under ACRS, the business may be able to deduct $2,000 from their taxable income in the first year, $3,200 in the second year, and so on, until the full cost of the equipment has been deducted.

Another example would be a building that a business purchases for $500,000. Under ACRS, the business may be able to deduct a larger portion of the cost in the early years of ownership, which can help to reduce their taxable income and lower their tax bill.

These examples illustrate how ACRS allows businesses to recover the cost of their assets more quickly, which can help to improve their cash flow and reduce their tax liability.