Quanti Co., a calendar year taxpayer, purchased small tools for $5,000 on December 21, 2016, representing the company's only purchase of tangible personal property that took place during 2016. On its 2016 tax return, how many months of MACRS depreciation may Quanti Co. claim on the tools (assuming they do not qualify for immediate expensing/bonus depreciation)?

1 and a half months worth of depreciation

Explanation:

The advantage of starting to depreciate an asset purchased on December is that next year you will be able to depreciate it for a full year under MACRS.  Generally, when you purchase an asset, you have to use the half year convention and your depreciation expense for the first year will be low compared to the second year. But if you start depreciating your asset in the current year, even if you purchased it on December and the depreciation expense is not that significant, the next year you will be able to depreciate it at the second year rate.

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