(SIMPLE MEANING OF DEPRECIATION AND ITS METHODS)

DEPRECIATION

In accountancy, depreciation refers to two aspects of the same concept:

1. the decrease in value of assets (fair value depreciation), and
2. the allocation of the cost of assets to periods in which the assets are used (depreciation with the matching principle).

A method of reallocating the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life span of it being in motion. Businesses depreciate long-term assets for both tax and accounting purposes. The former affects the balance sheet of a business or entity, and the latter affects the net income that they report. Generally the cost is allocated, as depreciation expense, among the periods in which the asset is expected to be used. This expense is recognized by businesses for financial reporting and tax purposes.

Methods of computing depreciation,

Methods of computing depreciation, and the periods over which assets are depreciated, may vary between asset types within the same business and may vary for tax purposes. These may be specified by law or accounting standards, which may vary by country. There are several standard methods of computing depreciation expense, including fixed percentage,straight line, and declining balance methods....

Straight Line Method of Depreciation:

A method of calculating the depreciation of an asset which assumes the asset will lose an equal amount of value each year. The annual depreciation is calculated by subtracting the salvage value of the asset from the purchase price, and then dividing this number by the estimated useful life of the asset

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Reducing Balance Method of Depreciation:

Under reducing balance method, the depreciation is charged at a fixed rate like straight line method (also known as fixed installment method). But the rate percent is not calculated on cost of asset as is done under fixed installment method - it is calculated on the book value of asset. The book value of an asset is obtained by deducting depreciation from its cost. The book value of asset gradually reduces on account of charging depreciation. Since the depreciation rate per cent is applied on reducing balance of asset, this method is called reducing balance method or diminishing balance method.