Under MACRS, which factor is NOT considered in determining depreciation for tax purposes?

In the context of the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS), salvage or residual value is not considered in determining depreciation for tax purposes. Under MACRS, the depreciation deduction is calculated based solely on the cost of an asset, its assigned property recovery class, and the applicable conventions for determining the timing of the depreciation.

The primary reason for this lies in the nature of MACRS, which is designed to accelerate deductions and simplify the depreciation calculation process for taxpayers. Unlike some other depreciation methods, MACRS assumes that the asset will be fully depreciated to zero over its useful life, meaning that any expected salvage value does not factor into the calculations. This results in larger deductions in the earlier years of the asset’s life and can improve the cash flow for businesses.

On the other hand, elements like the cost of the asset, property recovery class, and conventions such as the half-year convention do play significant roles under MACRS. The cost is necessary for establishing the basis of the depreciation, the property recovery class determines the depreciation rate applicable to different types of assets, and conventions help dictate the timing of when depreciation begins and ends.