U.S. · Tax forms
Form 4562 line 17, MACRS on older assets.
Which assets go on line 17, how to figure the number, and what stays off the line.
Line 17 (“MACRS deductions for assets placed in service in tax years beginning before 2025”) is the current-year MACRS depreciation on tangible property you started using in earlier years. New 2025 assets go on lines 19 and 20 instead. The amount is figured under the line 19, column (g) instructions.
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Result
What the 2025 Form 4562 says
| Item | Meaning | What the IRS says |
|---|---|---|
| What belongs on line 17 | Prior-year MACRS assets | For tangible property placed in service in tax years beginning before 2025 and depreciated under MACRS, enter the deductions for the current year |
| How to figure it | Line 19, column (g) | To figure the deductions, see the instructions for line 19, column (g) |
| Assets placed in service in 2025 | Lines 19 and 20 | The Form 4562 Part III sections for assets placed in service during the 2025 tax year are line 19 (General Depreciation System) and line 20 (Alternative Depreciation System). The instructions say to report on line 17 MACRS depreciation on assets placed in service in prior years |
| Listed property | Not line 17 | The form says not to include listed property in Part III; use Part V instead |
| Partial dispositions | Adjust basis first | If you dispose of a portion of a MACRS asset and take the basis into account, reduce the basis and depreciation reserve by the disposed portion as of the first day of the tax year before you compute the current-year deduction |
| General asset accounts | Line 18 box | If you elect to group assets placed in service during the tax year into general asset accounts, check the box on line 18 |
| Where line 17 goes | Line 22 | Line 22 adds the amounts from line 12, lines 14 through 17, lines 19 and 20 in column (g), and line 21 |
A cutoff that changes every year
The line label ties to the tax year: for the 2025 form it says tax years beginning before 2025. An asset placed in service in a 2024 tax year is on line 17 for 2025, but the same asset was on line 19 in the year you first used it. Do not copy a prior year's form label.
Where the number comes from
Line 17 is not a new computation separate from line 19. You use the same depreciation methods, conventions and tables, and the instructions say to follow the line 19, column (g) instructions. Most filers carry the amount from the depreciation schedule they have kept for each asset since it was placed in service.
Why line 17 matters
Line 22 totals the Form 4562 depreciation and carries to the return. The Part IV summary adds line 12, lines 14 through 17 and lines 19 and 20, so leaving prior-year assets off line 17 leaves them out of the total.
Worked example
A business has two pieces of equipment placed in service in 2023. This year's MACRS deduction from its depreciation schedule is $4,200 for the first and $1,150 for the second. Line 17 is $5,350. A machine bought in 2025 is reported on line 19 instead. Names and figures are made up.
More line pages in this set
Related lines: Form 4562 Line 16, Form 4562 Line 1.
Sources
- Instructions for Form 4562 (2025): the line-by-line instructions on this page. Page last reviewed or updated April 30, 2026. Read November 2, 2026.
- Form 4562, Depreciation and Amortization (2025): the printed line wording and arithmetic on the form. Read November 2, 2026.
Tax year 2025 form and instructions. Line labels were read from the IRS PDF posted on the date read; line numbers, dollar limits and cutoff years change between editions, so check them against the form for your tax year. The cutoff year on line 17 is edition-specific; this page covers the 2025 form. Names in worked examples are made up.
Frequently asked questions
What goes on Form 4562 line 17?
The current-year MACRS deduction for tangible property placed in service in tax years beginning before 2025.
How do I figure the amount?
Use the instructions for line 19, column (g); the deduction is based on each asset's basis, recovery period, convention and method.
Are 2025 assets on line 17?
No. Assets placed in service in the 2025 tax year are on lines 19 or 20.
Does listed property go on line 17?
No. The form says to use Part V for listed property.
Where does line 17 flow?
Into the Part IV total on line 22, which you enter on the appropriate lines of your return.
Not tax advice
This page summarizes IRS instructions, mostly written for the people who prepare the form, and is not tax, legal or financial advice. A CPA or an enrolled agent can confirm what a line means for your return. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.