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IntoAMuteCrypt t1_jbr72rl wrote

Reply to comment by refik252 in Dell’s Latitude 7330 convinced me that business laptops are too expensive by dapperlemon

In most places, you are able to use computers to decrease the profits used to calculate your tax if you're a business. The relevant law in the US is MACRS which allows you to claim depreciation of certain assets (which includes computers) as a deduction. This may be spread over a set period (5-6 years for computers) or potentially claimed all at once (via a section 179 deduction). Generally speaking, the amount you'll be able to deduct is approximately equal to the cost, if it's solely for business use.

In many contexts, "tax write-off" and "tax deduction" are used as synonyms. The IRS calls this sort of thing a deduction, so I'd say it's fair to call it a write-off too.

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Iz-kan-reddit t1_jbrm219 wrote

>In most places, you are able to use computers to decrease the profits used to calculate your tax if you're a business.

Spending a buck you don't need to spend simply to save paying twenty-eight cents in taxes is a horrible financial idea.

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IntoAMuteCrypt t1_jbrvxxz wrote

Yes, but it means that the quoted price is 28% higher than the cost you actually pay. If they say a laptop will cost 1000, the actual cost is something like 750 for you. That means that higher prices on business laptops aren't entirely felt by the business customer - and if you are getting other stuff in the deal like on-site service, it's worth it.

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JC-Dude t1_jbsd912 wrote

What a dumb argument. They can expense both a $1000 laptop and a $2000 laptop. The relative difference is still going to be the same. Just because that $2000 effectively becomes $1500 doesn’t mean it’s less than the $1000, which effectively becomes $750. The $2k one is still twice as expensive.

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dc456 t1_jbs4otx wrote

> if you are getting other stuff in the deal like on-site service,

You’re not. It’s an additional paid service. They only offer it on certain ranges of laptops, though.

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refik252 t1_jbryjmm wrote

No one calls that a tax write off. That’s just normal operating expense, of course you can deduct depreciation expenses from taxes but as a business you don’t make decisions based on depreciation expenses and buying computers to save money on taxes. You’re buying assets to help you produce more and grow your profits at the end of the day which is the primary goal of the business. So I would argue those computers will make your employees more productive which will raise profits and taxes at the end of the day, which is perfectly normal.

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