Buy and Save with a Section 179 Business Deduction

179Most people think the Section 179 deduction is some mysterious or complicated tax code. Essentially, Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if you buy (or lease) a piece of qualifying equipment, you can deduct the FULL PURCHASE PRICE from your gross income. It's an incentive created by the U.S. government to encourage businesses to buy equipment and invest in themselves.

Section 179 was designed with businesses in mind. That's why almost all types of "business equipment" that your company buys or finances qualifies for the Section 179 deduction.

All businesses need equipment on an ongoing basis, be it machinery, computers, software, office furniture, vehicles, or other tangible goods. It's very likely that your business will purchase many of these goods during the year, and will do so again and again. Section 179 is designed to make purchasing that equipment during this calendar year financially attractive. Please keep in mind that to qualify for the Section 179 Deduction, the equipment listed below must be purchased and put into use between January 1 and December 31 of the tax year you are claiming.

  • Equipment (machines, etc) purchased for business use
  • Tangible personal property used in business
  • Business Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight in excess of 6,000 lbs (Section 179 Vehicle Deductions)
  • Computers
  • Computer "Off-the-Shelf" Software
  • Office Furniture
  • Office Equipment
  • Property attached to your building that is not a structural component of the building (i.e.: a printing press, large manufacturing tools and equipment)
  • Partial Business Use (equipment that is purchased for business use and personal use: generally, your deduction will be based on the percentage of time you use the equipment for business purposes).

Are you considering whether or not to purchase or lease equipment in the current tax year? This Section 179 Deduction Calculator for 2016 may very well help in your decision, as Section 179 will save your company a lot of money (the deduction is at a robust $500,000). http://www.section179.org/section_179_calculator.php To determine if a Section 179 deduction is right for your business, consult your accountant or financial advisor for professional advice.

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