How Changes to Depreciation Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Affect Businesses

By Jo McClure, CPP on May 09, 2018
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The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), designed to boost the economy and create jobs, took effect January 2018. As one of the largest overhauls to the tax system since the Reagan years, many business owners are still learning how it affects them. For example, many wonder how it impacts their depreciation deductions and taxes.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), business taxpayers can generally depreciate tangible property including buildings, machinery, vehicles, furniture and equipment, excluding land.

How Changes to Depreciation Affect Businesses Under the New Law

Businesses can immediately expense more; taxpayers may elect to expense the cost of any property and deduct it in the year placed in service.
The maximum deduction increased from $500,000 to $1 million.
The phase-out threshold increased from $2 million to $2.5 million.
Taxpayers can elect to include nonresidential property improvements made after the date the property was first placed in service.

Qualifying Nonresidential Improvements

Any improvement to a building’s interior
Roofs
Heating and air conditioning systems
Fire protection systems
Alarm and security systems

Excluded Improvements

Enlargement of the building
Service to elevators or escalators
Internal structural framework of the building

These changes apply to property placed in service in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Visit http://bit.ly/2IrGk6y for more information provided by the IRS.

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