Pursuant to § 179 of the Tax code, businesses may deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year. The “Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015” (PATH Act) expanded the Section 179 deduction limit to $500,000 and it will remain at this amount for 2017. Here’s § 179 at a glance for 2017.
The § 179 Deduction Explained
The Internal Revenue Code through Section 179 permits businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year. Thus, if qualifying equipment is purchased or leased, the full purchase price may be deducted from gross income.
The § 179 deduction is a tax-savings incentive to encourage businesses to increase assets by purchasing equipment and self-invest. This deduction is affected by the “Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015” (PATH Act) that was signed into law in 2015. This bill expanded the Section 179 deduction limit to $500,000, where it will remain for all of 2017.
IRS Announces 2017 Standard Mileage Rates for Business, Medical and Moving
Taxpayers should know the 2017 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of both fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based solely on the variable costs.
While the 2017 business mileage rate decreased half a cent per mile from 2016, the medical and moving expense rates each dropped 2 cents per mile. Set by statute, the charitable rate remains unchanged. Effective Jan. 1, 2017, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) is: