Tax Tip of the Week | No. 447 | New Tax Law (TCJA) - Rules Significantly Eased for Code Section 168 & 179

Tax Tip of the Week | Feb 14, 2018 | No. 447 | New Tax Law (TCJA) - Rules Significantly Eased for Code Section 168 & 179

Good news for business owners!The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has very favorably changed the tax rules for “accelerated” tax depreciation expense under IRC Sections 168 and 179.Prior Law:  Section 168 (bonus depreciation) - taxpayers were allowed to deduct 50% of the cost of most new tangible property other than buildings (with a few exceptions). This “50% bonus depreciation” was scheduled to be reduced to 40% for property placed in service in calendar year 2018, 40% in 2019 and 0% in 2020 and thereafter.New Law:  For property placed in service and acquired after Sept. 27, 2017, the TCJA has raised the 50% rate to 100%.Also, perhaps, even more importantly, under the TCJA the post-Sept. 27, 2017 property eligible for bonus depreciation may be new or used.Prior Law:  Section 179 expensing - taxpayers could elect to deduct the entire cost of Section 179 property up to an annual limit of $510,000. For qualifying assets placed in service in tax years that begin in 2018, the adjusted limit was $520,000. This annual limit was reduced by one dollar for every dollar that the cost of all Section 179 property placed in service during the tax year exceeded a $2,030,000 threshold. For those assets placed in service in tax years that begin in 2018, the threshold was to be $2,070,000.New Law:  The TCJA ratcheted up the annual dollar limit for expensing to $1 million and $2,500,000 as the new phase down threshold.The new definition of qualifying property has been expanded for both Sections 168 and 179. More favorable depreciation lives were also made available, meaning faster tax write-offs.Vehicles.  The TCJA triples the annual dollar caps on depreciation (and the Code Sec. 179 vehicle expensing) of passenger automobiles and small vans and trucks. Also, because of the extension in bonus depreciation, the increase for vehicles allowed bonus depreciation of $8,000 in the other-wise-applicable first year cap is extended through 2026 (with no phase-down).Farm property.  More good news!  For items placed in service after 2017, the TCJA reduces the depreciation period for most farm equipment from seven years to five. It also allows many types of farm property to be depreciated under the 200% (instead of 150%) declining balance method.Thank you for all of your questions, comments and suggestions for future topics. We may be reached in Dayton at 937-436-3133 and in Xenia at 937-372-3504. Or visit our website.This week's author – Mark Bradstreet, CPA--until next week.