Depreciation Methods

depreciation Methods Depreciation is the accounting process of allocating the make up of tangible additions to expense in a systematic and rational manner to those periods expected to benefit from the wont of the plus. Factors Involved in the Depreciation Process 1. What depreciable story is to be use of goods and services for the asset? 2. What is the assets serviceable flavour? 3. What method of cost apportionment is best for the asset? Depreciable Base for the Asset The base complete for depreciation is a decease of two factors the original cost, and the salvage or disposal prize.Salvage value is the estimated amount that the company will receive when it administer the asset or removes it from service. It is the amount to which the company writes down or depreciates the asset during its useful life. Example An asset is purchased for $10,000. The company believes that it has a salvage value of $1,000. Original cost $10,000 Less Salvage value 1,000 Depreciation base$ 9,000 Methods of Depreciation The accounting profession requires that the depreciation method employed be systematic and rational. The following are examples of depreciation methods 1. drill method (units of use or production) . Straight-line method 3. Decreasing charge methods (accele ranged) a. Sum-of-the-years digits b. Declining- end method The following data will be used to illustrate each of the above methods Stanley ember Mines recently purchased an additional crane for digging purposes. Cost of crane$500,000 Estimated useful life5 years Estimated salvage value$50,000 Productive life in hours30,000 hours Activity Method The activity method (also called the variable-charge or units-of-production approach) as inwardnesses that depreciation is a function of use or productivity, instead of the passage of time.A company considers the life of the asset in terms of either the output if provides (units it produces), or an input gradation such as number of hours it works. The cran e Stanley purchased poses no particular depreciation problem. Stanley can measure the usage (hours) relatively easily. If Stanley uses the crane for 4,000 hours the first year, the depreciation charge is (Cost slight salvage value) X hours this year Total estimated hours ($500,000 $50,000) X 4,000 30,000 = $60,000 Straight-Line MethodThe straight-line method considers depreciation a function of time rather than a function of usage. Companies widely use this method because of its simplicity. The straight-line procedure is often the well-nigh conceptually appropriate, too. Stanley computes the depreciation charge for the crane as follows Cost less salvage Estimated service life $500,000-$50,000 5 =$90,000 Sum-of-the- classs-Digits The sum-of-the-years-digits method results in a fall depreciation charge based on a decreasing fraction of depreciable cost (original cost less salvage value).Each fraction uses the sum of the years as a denominator (5+4+3+2+1=15). The numerator is the n umber of years of estimated life remaining as of the beginning of the year. In this method, the numerator decreases year by year, and the denominator remains constant. At the end of the useful life, the balance remaining should equal the salvage value. YearDepreciation BaseRemaining life in yearsDepreciation FractionDepreciation ExpenseBook Value, End of Year 1$450,00055/15$150,000$350,000 2$450,00044/15$120,000$230,000 3$450,00033/15$90,000$140,000 4$450,00022/15$60,000$80,000 $450,00011/15$30,000$50,000 Totals1515/15$450,000 For assets that have a long life span, the following formula can be used to determine the denominator n(n+1) 2 For example, if an asset has a useful life of 51 years, you would calculate the denominator 51(51+1) 2 =1,326 YearDepreciation BaseRemaining life in yearsDepreciation FractionDepreciation ExpenseBook Value, End of Year 1$450,0005151/1,326$17,308$482,692 2$450,0005050/1,326$16,968$465,724 3$450,0004949/1,326$16,629$449,095 4$450,0004848/1,326$16,290$43 2,805 5$450,0004747/1,326$15,950$416,855 EtcDeclining-Balance Method The declining-balance method utilizes a depreciation rate (expressed as a percentage) that is some multiple of the straight-line method. For example, the double-declining rate for a 10-year asset is 20 percent (double the straight-line rate, which is 1/10 or 10 percent). different other methods, the declining-balance method does non deduct the salvage value in computing the depreciation base. For example, if Stanley chose to use the double-declining-balance method, the crane would depreciate at in two ways the rate of the straight-line rate.See below YearBook Value of Asset First YearRate on Declining Balance (a)Depreciation ExpenseBalance Accumulated DepreciationBook Value, End of Year 1$500,00040%$200,000$200,000$300,000 2$300,00040%$120,000$320,000$180,000 3$180,00040%$72,000$392,000$108,000 4$108,00040%$43,200$435,000$64,800 5$64,80040%$14,800 (b)$450,000$50,000 (a)Based on twice the straight-line rate of 20 % ($90,000/$450,000 = 20% 20% X 2 = 40%) (b)Limited to $14,800 because the book value should not be less than the salvage value.