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Accelerated depreciation calculator

Enter the asset's original cost, salvage value, useful life, acceleration factor and the year you need the figures for. The calculator works out that year's depreciation and the resulting book value.

Book value never drops below this — the method stops writing off once it's reached
2 — double declining balance method, the most common; 1.5 — a gentler variant

Result

Depreciation for the year

Book value at year end

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This calculation is for informational purposes only and does not replace advice from a qualified professional. Formulas and rates may not fit your exact situation — double-check the figures before making decisions.

How it is calculated

Depreciation rate = acceleration factor ÷ useful life. Each year this rate is applied not to the original cost but to the book value at the start of the year — so the write-off is largest in the early years and gradually shrinks, unlike the straight-line method's equal amounts.

Book value at the end of year t = original cost × (1 − depreciation rate)^t, but never below the salvage value: once the computed book value reaches salvage value, depreciation stops.

The declining balance method usually reflects real value loss more accurately for assets with high obsolescence — equipment, electronics, vehicles — which lose more value in their early years of use. For even write-offs, use the separate straight-line depreciation calculator.

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