Central Humidifier: Depreciate Or Home Improvement?

[legomom922]

We had a central humidifier installed late last yr. Would this be considered a home improvement or should I just depreciate it?

Another question: Call me stupid, but what is the difference between a built in dishwasher, oven, etc, and one that is not? They are not attched permently to the home, IMO anyway, since I slide them out of their space to sometimes clean the floor and jumk thats gets stuck in the crannies.

Also, I had a potty seat earlier in the yr, but some how tossed the reciept. So should I just take a pic and claim the deduction ($12) or depreciate it since I don't have the reciept?

[TomCopeland]

humidifier

A central humidifier is a home improvement that you must depreciate over 39 years.

I'd depreciate stoves, dishwashers, etc as appliances over 7 years rather than as home improvements over 39 years.

Take a picture and claim the deduction. Just because you don't have a receipt doesn't mean you have to depreciate it. You would only depreciate it if it cost more than $100.

[legomom922]

A central humidifier is a home improvement that you must depreciate over 39 years.

I'd depreciate stoves, dishwashers, etc as appliances over 7 years rather than as home improvements over 39 years.

Take a picture and claim the deduction. Just because you don't have a receipt doesn't mean you have to depreciate it. You would only depreciate it if it cost more than $100.

Thanks Tom. Your book says you can only depreciate dishwashers, stoves etc only if they are not "built in" into your home, otherwise you must include them in the house depreciation, which I understand, but what is considered a built in? All of my appliances are removeable, or I wouldn't be able to pull them out an dclean behind them, well with the exception of the dishwasher..I mean it's not built in permanently..but it is built in to the space.. So just wondered what that means?

[TomCopeland]

Depreciation

You are correct that the concept of "built in" is subject to some interpretation. You can say that since the appliances are removable that they aren't built in and can be depreciated over 7 years. When a home is purchased with appliances usually everyone depreciates the appliances as part of the purchase price.