Introduction — 2025 Publ 946 (PDF)

This publication explains how you can recover the cost of business or income-producing property through deductions for depreciation (for example, the special depreciation allowance and deductions under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS)). It also explains how you can elect to take a section 179 deduction, instead of depreciation deductions, for certain property and the additional rules for listed property.

Caution: The depreciation methods discussed in this publication generally do not apply to property placed in

service before 1987. For more information, see Pub. 534, Depreciating Property Placed in Service Before 1987.

Definitions. Many of the terms used in this publication are defined in the Glossary at the end of this publication. Glossary terms used in each discussion under the major headings are listed before the beginning of each discussion throughout this publication.

Do you need a different publication? The following table shows where you can get more detailed information when depreciating certain types of property.

For information on depreciating:	See Publication:
a car	463, Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses.
residential rental property	527, Residential Rental Property.
office space in your home	587, Business Use of Your Home.
farm property	225, Farmer’s Tax Guide.

Comments and suggestions. We welcome your comments about this publication and suggestions for future editions.

You can send us comments through IRS.gov/ FormComments . Or, you can write:

Internal Revenue Service Tax Forms and Publications 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6526 Washington, DC 20224

Although we can’t respond individually to each comment received, we do appreciate your feedback and will consider your comments and suggestions as we revise our tax forms, instructions, and publications. Don’t send tax questions, tax returns, or payments to the above address.

Getting answers to your tax questions. If you have a tax question not answered by this publication or the How To Get Tax Help section at the end of this publication, go to the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant page at IRS.gov/ Help/ITA where you can find topics by using the search feature or viewing the categories listed.

Getting tax forms, instructions, and publications. Go to IRS.gov/Forms to download current and prior-year forms, instructions, and publications.

Ordering tax forms, instructions, and publications. Go to IRS.gov/OrderForms to order current forms, instructions, and publications; call 800-829-3676 to order prior-year forms and instructions. The IRS will process your order for forms and publications as soon as possible. Don’t resubmit requests you’ve already sent us. You can get forms and publications faster online.

2 Publication 946 (2025)