alenaghose
Member
Good day, I’d like advice: For a new piece of machinery, should we use straight-line depreciation or the reducing balance method? What factors (tax, useful life, maintenance) should influence this decision
| Method | How It Works | Typical Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-Line (SL) | Depreciates by an equal amount each year. Formula: (Cost − Residual Value) ÷ Useful Life | Smooth, even expense over time |
| Reducing Balance (RB) | Applies a constant percentage rate to the asset’s book value each year (so depreciation expense is higher early on and lower later) | Front-loads expenses — higher depreciation at first |