MF200 Depreciation

MACRS Formula 200 depreciation is similar to declining-balance depreciation. It uses the half-year averaging convention (if the midquarter convention does not apply), and it switches to straight-line depreciation when the result is equal to or greater than the declining-balance calculation.

The formula for calculating depreciation for personal property with the MF200 depreciation method is:

Year 1:

Acquisition Cost

Estimated Life

X

2

X

1 *

2

=

Annual Depr.

 

* In the placed-in-service year, MACRS personal property uses the half-year averaging convention, which allows a half-year's depreciation in the year of acquisition (provided that the midquarter convention does not apply).

Year 2 and later (until the switch to straight-line):

Acquisition Cost - Accumulated Depr.

Estimated Life

X

2

=

Annual Depr.

 

Here's an example:

Acquired Value:

$16,000

Recovery Period:

5 Years

Salvage Value:

$1,000

Placed-in-Service Date:

03/31/2021

 

Year 1:

$16,000

5

X

2

X

1

2

=

$3,200

 

Year 2:

16,000 - 3,200

5

X

2

=

$5,120

 

Year 3:

16,000 - 8,320

5

X

2

=

$3,072

 

Year 4:

16,000 - 11,392

5

X

2

=

$1,843.20

 

Year 5:

16,000 - 13,235.20

1.5

=

$1,843.20

 

Notice that in Year 5 the calculation switches to straight-line depreciation, using the following formula:

Acquisition Cost - Accumulated Depr.

Remaining Life

=

Annual Depr.

 

Because you have already taken 3 ½ years of depreciation, the remaining life is 1.5 years.

 

Year 6:

10,000 - 15,078.40

0.5

X

1

2

=

$921.60

 

Year 6 is the last year of the asset's life. The asset receives only a half-year of depreciation because of the half-year averaging convention.

Note: When using the MACRS Formula depreciation method, you recover the asset's full acquisition value, unlike declining-balance depreciation, which does not recover the salvage value.