A break for small business owners
With a slow economic recovery, small business owners might find it hard these days to justify the expense of buying up new computers, copiers and other equipment. But Uncle Sam is encouraging small businesses to do just that under a change made in 2010 of a federal program that allows businesses to write off capital investments.
It used to be that businesses would have to amortize these costs, deducting them over a number of years. With new legislation passed last year, business owners now receive a chunk of cash all at once from expenses made through the end of this year. The idea is that they would then use it to help stimulate the economy.
But buy your office equipment now. After 2011, business owners will have to spread those deductions out over several years again.
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Last updated March 10 2011: 12:45 PM ET
