What Is Depreciation?

Devine Dictionary

Today we will talk about the accounting term and usage of depreciation. Depreciation is certainly a word you have heard or seen used before in your financials, but do you know what it means? What is depreciation, and why is it important?

Depreciation is applied to assets to show the value loss over time. (Do you know what an asset is? Check out our blog post on assets by clicking here. Insert link to asset blog link). With a large asset like a vehicle or specialized machinery, it is important to account for it properly in your financials. Depreciation is a way to do that. It can be scheduled out to decrease in value over time. This can be based on the amount of usage or estimated time the asset will be used by the business.

Why would you need to depreciate an asset, though? Is it that important? An asset is typically a major purchase and having it all hit in one year can skew your financial reporting. By depreciating these assets, you can properly reflect them throughout the asset’s lifespan.

It is important to remember that depreciating properly can only be done if you understand how it can affect your financials long term. Outsourcing your accounting is a great way to ensure that tasks like depreciation are done properly. This will give you peace of mind that your financial reports are a true accurate reflection of your business. Let Devine help you with your depreciation. Call us at 281-545-4000.

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Jennifer Devine

I'm an experienced finance professional with more than 20 years of experience. I've held several Controller positions throughout my career, most notably with an internationally respected commercial real estate investment, management, and brokerage firm. In this role, I was responsible for all aspects of accounting across the company's many operational divisions - including internet services, real estate development, property management, and brokerage services. As our company operated in multiple countries and currencies, it was essential to me that all financial reports were accurate and compliant.