What happens to Section 179 when you sell something?

Asked by: Mr. Craig Koch  |  Last update: November 23, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (47 votes)

What is Section 179 depreciation recapture? After you take depreciation on an asset and later sell it, you have to claim income on the amount you sold the item for and “recapture” the income on the depreciation you have taken.

What happens when you sell a Section 179 asset?

If you sell the equipment before the end of its expected useful life, you might have to pay back part of the tax savings you claimed through the Section 179 deduction. This process is known as “recapture.” Essentially, the IRS wants to ensure the equipment was actually used for business for its entire life.

How do you avoid Section 179 recapture?

When the business use of the asset that had Section 179 taken falls below 50% or if the asset is no longer used in a trade or business, no recapture is calculated.

What is the downside to section 179 deduction?

Limitations on Vehicles

If a car is first used for personal purposes and then changed to business use in a subsequent year, section 179 cannot be used upon transfer to business use, however the vehicle will still be depreciated and it may still be eligible for bonus depreciation.

What happens if you sell a depreciated asset?

Then you'll pay capital gains tax on the remainder, assuming you gained money on the sale. However, if you took a depreciation deduction on the asset, you'll have to “recapture” the depreciation and pay taxes on it at ordinary income tax rates. If you lost money, you can take a capital loss deduction.

Disadvantages of Writing Off Your Car in 2025 - Section 179

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Do you have to pay depreciation back when you sell?

Depreciation expense taken by a real estate investor is recaptured when the property is sold. Depreciation recapture is taxed at an investor's ordinary income tax rate, up to a maximum of 25%. Remaining profits from the sale of a rental property are taxed at the capital gains tax rate of 0%, 15%, or 20%.

How do I avoid paying depreciation recapture?

You might be able to minimize the tax hit from depreciation recapture. Potential strategies include purchasing replacement property in a Section 1031 exchange, timing the sale of business property to when you're in a lower tax bracket, and investing in a Qualified Opportunity Fund.

Do you get money back from Section 179?

Section 179 is a tax code section that allows businesses to deduct the total cost of equipment they bought during the year from their taxable income. In short, it's tax relief. Instead of deducting a small portion of the asset's depreciated value throughout the years, you can get the entire tax write-off in one go.

When must 179 expenses be recaptured?

When Must You Recapture the Deduction? You may have to recapture the section 179 deduction if, in any year during the property's recovery period, the percentage of business use drops to 50% or less.

Is it better to take bonus depreciation or Section 179?

Section 179 allows the most flexibility in deferring expenses to future tax years as you can choose the exact amount to apply for the first year, with the rest depreciated normally over the useful life defined by the IRS. Bonus depreciation has to be applied to all new assets that fall into the asset class life.

What happens when I sell a fully depreciated vehicle?

Selling Depreciated Assets

When you sell or trade in a used asset, you may trigger a taxable capital gain or “recapture” of previous depreciation deductions. Recapture is generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates but, in some situations, it can be taxable at both ordinary rates and capital gains rates.

Where do I report gain on sale of 179 assets?

Gains or losses from the sale or disposition of assets previously subject to the IRC Section 179 expense deduction are to be reported on Form 565, Partnership Return of Income; Form 568, Limited Liability Company Return of Income; or Form 100S, California S Corporation Franchise or Income Tax Return, and on the ...

How do I prove a Section 179 deduction?

A taxpayer must prove the asset's cost, where and when it was purchased, and the percentage of business use. Only the percentage of cost that applies to business use may be deducted.

Can you take Section 179 in year of sale?

Yes. To qualify for the Section 179 deduction for any given tax year, the equipment must be purchased (or financed / leased) and placed into service between January 1 and December 31 of that year.

Do I have to pay taxes on reselling items in 2024?

The main taxes to consider are income tax and sales tax. As a reseller, you pay income tax on your net profit—the amount left after deducting business expenses from your total revenue. This is reported on your tax return, typically using a Schedule C form if you're a sole proprietor.

Does Section 179 affect balance sheet?

GAAP property, plant, and equipment includes all fixed assets, regardless of whether some have been carved out for the Section 179 deduction in preparing the business income tax returns. To reiterate, Section 179 plays no role in GAAP. It affects no value on the income statement or the balance sheet.

What is the IRS 179 rule?

Schiff: Section 179 allows business owners to deduct the purchase price of equipment and/or software put into service during the year. In order to qualify for this tax deduction, the equipment must be placed into service on or before Dec. 31.

How much of your cell phone can you deduct for business?

What can I deduct for cell phone use? You can 30% of the data, messaging, and talk costs related to business. ¹ To deduct the expense, you would need to calculate the business-use percentage of the cell phone on a month-by-month basis.

What triggers depreciation recapture?

Depreciation recapture is the gain realized by selling depreciable capital property reported as ordinary income for tax purposes. It is assessed when an asset's sale price exceeds the tax or adjusted cost basis.

How do I avoid Section 179 recapture?

If you keep the asset until the recovery period ends, there would be no recapture required.

What happens when you sell a car Section 179?

What is Section 179 depreciation recapture? After you take depreciation on an asset and later sell it, you have to claim income on the amount you sold the item for and “recapture” the income on the depreciation you have taken.

How much does a section 179 deduction save you?

This way you free up as much extra cash as you can now to reinvest in your business. For example, let's say your business tax rate is 35 percent and you buy $200,000 of equipment. By using 179 depreciation, you can deduct up to 80% of the purchase price and save $56,000 in taxes ($160,000 x 35 percent).

Do you pay back depreciation when you sell?

Though depreciation itself doesn't require former property owners to pay back their deductions, the IRS does have plans in place that are designed to recapture a portion of the property's previously claimed depreciation upon its sale.

Do I pay capital gains if I reinvest the proceeds from sale?

Homeowners can avoid paying taxes on the sale of a home by reinvesting the proceeds from the sale into a similar property through a 1031 exchange.

Is depreciation recapture always 25%?

The tax rate for the depreciation recapture is contingent upon whether an asset is a section 1245 or 1250 asset. When section 1250 property is sold, gain up to the amount of depreciation claimed is generally taxed at a maximum rate of 25 percent.