When the owner of a business or a reader of financial statements understands the concept of depreciation, he can better evaluate the business operation. Depreciation is merely matching a long life asset to its contribution to the product or delivery of service in incremental steps.
The Internal Revenue Service defines a business expense as ‘ordinary’ and ‘necessary’. Ordinary expenses are those costs typically incurred in your industry. A restaurant would not ordinarily purchase vaccines. And a medical practice would not purchase 50 heads of lettuce.
Purchasing equipment for a restaurant is a daunting task. There are three phases to successfully purchase restaurant equipment. The first is planning, see How to Purchase Equipment for a Restaurant – Planning Phase for more information about this phase. The second is research, go to How to Purchase Equipment for a Restaurant – Research Phase for an understanding of this phase. This article covers the third phase of purchasing equipment, using business finesse to negotiate the best deal.
There are various forms of depreciation used in the small business world. In general, depreciation is not required but it is advisable. A small business owner should understand depreciation and the various forms of how to calculate the deduction.
Non-physical assets are expensed to the income statement or profit and loss statement via a method called amortization. It is most commonly used in the mortgage industry to refer to the monthly payment made to pay interest and the principal (the amortizable portion) on a debt instrument.
The sole proprietorship is taxed at the individual tax level. Basically, the income earned during the calendar year is calculated on Schedule C of Form 1040. The final number is transferred to the front page of Form 1040 to line 12. Schedule C is divided into three major sections.
Any tangible item not consumed within one accounting cycle (typically a year) and providing long term utility is referred to as a Fixed Asset. Traditional images include manufacturing equipment, tools, transportation vehicles, buildings and utility related systems (sewage systems, power grids, power plants and dams). In accounting, these assets are recorded to the balance sheet as ‘Fixed Assets’.
The Internal Revenue Service sets the depreciation allowance based on the Code as promulgated by Congress. The most commonly referenced section is 179. This is a form of accelerated depreciation allowing the small business owner the opportunity to take a large expense deduction and reduce their tax obligation immediately.
Reading a balance sheet is instrumental in understanding the business’s financial position. This particular financial report is a snapshot of a moment in time. It can change dramatically in a minute so understanding the perspective of the report and its respective sections will help you to be better informed.
In the world of accounting, there are two types of expenses on the reports widely misunderstood. They are depreciation and amortization. I will try to help the novice gain an understanding of depreciation in this article.
A business license is the tool used by local governments to monitor all businesses in their community. It triggers at least two types of tax. At a minimum a revenue and personal property tax is charged through this registration process.
