Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Asset-depreciation range is a term used in tax accounting to refer to the range of depreciation lifetimes allowed for assets placed in service between 1970 and 1980 and for assets depreciated under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. This means that when a company buys an asset, such as a machine or a vehicle, they can deduct a portion of the cost of that asset from their taxes each year. The asset-depreciation range determines how long the company can deduct that cost. The shorter the range, the faster the company can recover the cost of the asset.
Definition: Asset-depreciation range refers to the range of depreciation lifetimes allowed by the IRS for assets placed in service between 1970 and 1980 and for assets depreciated under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. It is abbreviated as ADR.
Accelerated Cost Recovery System: Accelerated Cost Recovery System is an accounting method used to calculate asset depreciation. It allows for the faster recovery of costs by assigning the asset a shorter useful life than was previously permitted under the Internal Revenue Code. This system applies to property put into service from 1981 to 1986. It is abbreviated as ACRS.
Example: Let's say a company purchases a machine for $10,000. The IRS has assigned a useful life of 5 years to this machine. Under the straight-line method of depreciation, the company can deduct $2,000 ($10,000/5) each year for 5 years. However, under the Accelerated Cost Recovery System, the company can deduct a larger amount in the earlier years of the machine's life and a smaller amount in the later years. This allows the company to recover the cost of the machine more quickly.
Explanation: The example illustrates how the Accelerated Cost Recovery System allows for a faster recovery of costs by assigning a shorter useful life to the asset. This results in a larger deduction in the earlier years of the asset's life, which helps the company recover the cost of the asset more quickly.