The causes of depreciation — AccountingTools (2024)

What are the Causes of Depreciation?

Depreciation is a ratable reduction in the carrying amount of a fixed asset. Depreciation is intended to roughly reflect the actual consumption of the underlying asset, so that the carrying amount of the asset has been reduced to its salvage value by the time its useful life is over. But why do we need depreciation at all? The causes of depreciation are noted below.

Wear and Tear

Any asset will gradually break down over a certain usage period, as parts wear out and need to be replaced. Eventually, the asset can no longer be repaired, and must be disposed of. This cause is most common for production equipment, which typically has a manufacturer's recommended life span that is based on a certain number of units produced. Other assets, such as buildings, can be repaired and upgraded for long periods of time.

Perishability

Some assets have an extremely short life span. This condition is most applicable to inventory, rather than fixed assets.

Usage Rights

A fixed asset may actually be a right to use something (such as software or a database) for a certain period of time. If so, its life span terminates when the usage rights expire, so depreciation must be completed by the end of the usage period.

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Natural Resource Usage

If an asset is natural resources, such as an oil or gas reservoir, the depletion of the resource causes depreciation (in this case, it is called depletion, rather than depreciation). The pace of depletion may change if a company subsequently alters its estimate of reserves remaining.

Inefficiency/Obsolescence

Some equipment will be rendered obsolete by more efficient equipment, which reduces the usability of the original equipment.

Fixed Asset Destruction or Damage

A variation on the depreciation concept is the destruction of or damage to equipment. If this happens, the equipment must be written down or written off to reflect its reduced value and possibly shorter useful life. Another variation is asset impairment, where the carrying cost of an asset is higher than its market value. If impairment occurs, the difference is charged to expense, which reduces the carrying amount of the asset.

When there is damage to or impairment of an asset, it can be considered a cause of depreciation, since either event changes the amount of depreciation remaining to be recognized.

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The causes of depreciation —  AccountingTools (2024)

FAQs

What are the causes of depreciation in accounting? ›

There are generally two main causes of depreciation, first is normal cause such as normal wear and tear due to usage or passage of time, expiration of legal right in case of some assets and obsolescence due to technological advancement and second is abnormal cause such as accidents due to fire, earthquake, floods etc.

What is depreciation answers? ›

Depreciation can be defined as a continuing, permanent and gradual decrease in the book value of fixed assets. This type of shrinkage is based on the cost of assets utilised in a firm and not on its market value.

Which of the following are the causes of depreciation except _____? ›

Following are the causes of Depreciation excepta)Wear and tear due to use or passage of time. b)normal factorsc)Expiration of legal rights. d)Obsolescence. Correct answer is option 'B'.

What are the causes of depreciation in a PDF? ›

  • Causes of Depreciation.
  • Causes of Depreciation.
  • Wear and Tear due to Use or Passage of Time.
  • Expiration of Legal Rights.
  • Causes of Depreciation.
  • Obsolescence.
  • Abnormal Factors.

What are the 4 causes of depreciation? ›

The main causes of depreciation include: Changes Economic Development Expiration of Legal Rights Physical wear & tear Passage of time All of the above
  • Changes Economic Development.
  • Expiration of Legal Rights.
  • Physical wear & tear.
  • Passage of time.
  • All of the above.
Jan 9, 2020

What are the causes of assets depreciation and their examples? ›

Causes of Depreciation
  • Physical Deterioration. Assets decline in value due to use and wear and tear. ...
  • Obsolescence. An asset may become obsolete due to better designs, new inventions, or simply changing fashions. ...
  • Exhaustion. An asset may be exhausted through work. ...
  • Efflux of Time.
Mar 6, 2023

What is depreciation in accounting with example questions and answers? ›

In accounting parlance, depreciation is referred to as the reduction in the cost of a fixed asset in sequential order, due to wear and tear until the asset becomes obsolete. Machinery, vehicle, equipment, building are some examples of assets that are likely to experience wear and tear or obsolescence.

What is the answer to depreciation in one sentence? ›

Depreciation means continuous reduction in the value of property or asset due to wear and tear, accident, fall in market price, passage of time etc.

What is depreciation in accounting for dummies? ›

Depreciation is an accounting practice used to spread the cost of a tangible or physical asset over its useful life. Depreciation represents how much of the asset's value has been used up in any given time period.

What is not a cause of depreciation? ›

Repair of an asset is not a reason for depreciation.

Which of the following leads to the depreciation? ›

Physical wear and tear resulting from use: It is the cause of charging depreciation for the assets which lose their value from the constant use such as fixed assets such as building; plant, machinery etc.

What are the three factors of depreciation? ›

Factors of Depreciation. In order to properly compute the amount of depreciation, three factors are necessary, namely depreciable amount, residual value and useful life.

What is the formula for depreciation? ›

The formulas are:(Asset cost - salvage value) / hours of useful life = units of production depreciation cost per hourCost per hour x hours of useful life = total depreciationBelow is an example of using units of production depreciation:Jonathan's House of Tabletops purchases a material-cutting machine for $75,000.

What are the two methods of calculating depreciation? ›

Methods of Depreciation and How to Calculate Depreciation

Some of the methods for calculating depreciation are: Straight-line method. Written down Value method.

What are the types of depreciation? ›

There are four main depreciation methods: straight-line, units of production, double declining balance and sum of the years' digits.

What is depreciation explained? ›

Depreciation represents the estimated reduction in value of a fixed assets within a fiscal year. Tangible assets, such as buildings, equipment, vehicles and so on, are purchased in large lump sums.

What is the meaning of depreciation? ›

the amount by which something, such as a piece of equipment, is reduced in value in a company's financial accounts, over the period of time it has been in use. The loss in value reduces a company's profits, and the amount of tax it must pay: accelerated depreciation.

What is my depreciation? ›

To determine the depreciation of your assets using the straight-line method, you should take the asset cost and deduct the salvage value. Then, divide that figure by the anticipated useful life of the asset.

What is the definition of depreciation quizlet? ›

Define Depreciation. Depreciation is a calculation of the measure of use, obsolescence and/or wear and tear of an asset when used to generate economic benefits. It is used to allocate the asset's cost (less any residual value) over its estimated useful life.

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