Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS)

Definition of "Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS)"

Term given to two depreciation systems defined by the Internal Revenue Service:

  1. The main system is called the General Depreciation System (GDS). Under GDS, most property is assigned to eight property classes based on their class lives. These property classes provide the recovery period to be used by establishing the number of years over which the basis of an item in a class is recovered.
  2. The Alternative Depreciation System (ADS) generally provides for a longer recovery period and uses only the straight line method of depreciation to figure your tax deduction.


Both systems establish conventions determining how many months property can be depreciated in the first year it is placed in service and in the year of disposition.

  1. 20-year property. This class includes property such as farm buildings.
  2. Residential rental property. This class is comprised of rental buildings or structures for which 80% or more of the gross rental income is from dwelling units. Examples are living in a house or apartment. It excludes hotels and motels. Residential rental property is depreciated over 27.5 years.
  3. Nonresidential real property. This class includes real property that is not residential rental property. This property is depreciated over 31.5 years.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Illegally keeping or holding on to someone else's property. An example is a tenant staying in the apartment after the lease has expired. A court order may be sought to evict the tenant. ...

Market where mortgage loans can be sold to investors. The availability of funds for financing real estate is affected by economic conditions, both local and national. The result is that at ...

Road or highway acting as a frontage boundary. ...

A mortgage where the payments are overdue and open to a foreclosure action at any time. A mortgage not having a prepayment clause permitting the mortgagor to repay the mortgage at any ...

Metropolitan locality such as a city. It is heavily populated with many residents and businesses. An example is New York City. ...

An individual's bringing a legal action against a defendant. The plaintiff wants relief from the judge against a defendant. An example is investors in a real estate investment trust (REIT) ...

Multistory, nineteenth-century house featuring turrets, high chimney, and decorative trim. ...

An estate constrained from some heirs and dedicated to others on the basis of a certain condition. ...

(1) foreclosed real estate or subject property in a bankrupt estate. (2) Income property which is making inadequate returns and has a negative capitalization rate. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions