depreciation

depreciation,

n the charges against earnings to write off the cost, less salvage value, of an asset over its estimated useful life. It is a bookkeeping entry and does not represent any cash outlay, nor are any funds earmarked for the purpose. There are three classic methods of applying depreciation: straight line, sum of the year's digits, and double declining balance.

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depreciation

the decline in value over time of capital items.