SECTION 2. BACKGROUND

.01 For owners of passenger automobiles, § 280F(a) imposes dollar limitations on the depreciation deduction for the year the taxpayer places the passenger automobile in service and for each succeeding year. Section 280F(d)(7) requires the amounts allowable as depreciation deductions to be increased by a price inflation adjustment amount for passenger automobiles placed in service after 1988. The method of calculating this price inflation amount for trucks and vans placed in service in or after calendar year 2003 uses a different CPI “automobile component” (the “new trucks” component) than that used in the price inflation amount calculation for other passenger automobiles (the “new cars” component), resulting in somewhat higher depreciation deductions for trucks and vans. This change reflects the higher rate of price inflation for trucks and vans since 1988.

.02 Section 280F(c) requires a reduction in the deduction allowed to the lessee of a leased passenger automobile. The reduction must be substantially equivalent to the limitations on the depreciation de

ductions imposed on owners of passenger automobiles. Under § 1.280F–7(a) of the Income Tax Regulations, this reduction requires a lessee to include in gross income an inclusion amount determined by applying a formula to the amount obtained from a table. One table applies to lessees of trucks and vans and another table applies to all other passenger automobiles. Each table shows inclusion amounts for a range of fair market values for each taxable year after the passenger automobile is first leased.