Question

Andrea Torbert purchased a computer for \(8,000 on July 1, 2017. She intends to depreciate it over 4 years using the double-declining-balance method. Salvage value is \)1,000. Compute depreciation for 2018.

Short answer

Depreciation for 2018 = $3,000

Step-by-step solution

Meaning of Double declining depreciation

In double declining balance depreciation, the existing depreciation approach is doubled. Deferring income taxes to later years permits the company to devalue settled resources more intensely during its early years.

Computing depreciation for 2018 

Double-declining rate	25% straight-line rate X 2 = 50%
Depreciation for the first full year.	$4,000
Depreciation for half a year (first year), 2017	$2,000
Depreciation for 2018.	$3,000

Working notes:

Calculating the amount of depreciation for the first full years

$$\begin{gathered} \mathbf{\text{Depreciation}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{for}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{first}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{full}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{years}}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\text{Cost}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{of}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{computer}}\mathbf{\times }\mathbf{\text{Double}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{declining}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{rate}} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\$}\mathbf{8}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{000}\mathbf{\times }\mathbf{50}\mathbf{\%} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\$}\mathbf{4}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{000} \end{gathered}$$

Calculating the amount of depreciation for half a year

$$\begin{gathered} \mathbf{\text{Depreciation}}\mathbf{ }\mathbf{\text{for}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{half}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{a}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{year}}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\text{Depreciation}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{for}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{first}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{full}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{years}}\mathbf{\times }\mathbf{\text{Total}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{month}} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\$}\mathbf{4}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{000}\mathbf{\times }\frac{\mathbf{6}}{\mathbf{12}} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\$}\mathbf{2}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{000} \end{gathered}$$

Calculating the amount of depreciation for 2018

$$\begin{gathered} \mathbf{\text{Depreciation}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{for}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{2018}}\mathbf{=}\left(\text{Cost}\text{of}\text{computer}-\text{Depreciation}\text{for}\text{half}\text{year}\right)\mathbf{\times }\mathbf{\text{Double}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{declining}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\text{rate}} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{=}\left(\$8,000-\$2,000\right)\mathbf{\times }\mathbf{50}\mathbf{\%} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\$}\mathbf{6}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{000}\mathbf{\times }\mathbf{50}\mathbf{\%} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{\$}\mathbf{3}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{000} \end{gathered}$$