topic I stopped using a vehicle for business because it broke down. I haven't sold it. TTax wants expense of sale but I have no idea what to enter here. Any help appreciated! in Deductions & credits

I stopped using a vehicle for business because it broke down. I haven't sold it. TTax wants expense of sale but I have no idea what to enter here. Any help appreciated!

pajaro2475 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:06:31 GMT

vehicle is still not running.

Re: I stopped using a vehicle for business because it broke down. I haven't sold it. TTax wants e...

DaveF1006 — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 02:31:13 GMT

Yes, this is how you will record this:

Go to federal>income and expenses>
Self-Employment>Self-employment income and expenses
Complete the profile that asks about your business
Then there will be a screen where you will enter your self-employment income.
After entering, you will start entering expenses into your program (you may have reached this point but I have to mention)
move down to vehicle expenses.
As you start to enter your vehicle expenses, be sure to check the box indicating you stopped using the vehicle in 2021. Then a pop up will appear that asks you to enter the date you sold or stopped usng the vehicle for business.
Now scroll through and answer the questions correctly, including mileage etc. Continue through until you are informed what your deduction will be.
Continue until it asks for the sales price of the card. Here enter "0". Don't enter anything for the expense of the sale.
Next you will enter the cost basis of the vehicle. This is the cost of the vehicle when you first bought it.
If you bought the vehicle on a trade in, you will fill out the information in the Let's get the info on your gain or loss basis screen.
Now there will be a screen where you need to calculate Depreciation Equivalent. If you have taken the mileage deduction in previous years, you need to enter the prior Depreciation Equivalent. To determine this value, you will need to get all the mileage records from previous years and multiply the equivalent listed in the learn more link that is listed on the page. If you claimed mileage in previous years, part of the mileage deduction had a depreciation component attached to the mileage deduction. Now since you sold your vehicle, a depreciation recapture must take place to recapture that previously claimed depreciation.
In the end, Turbo Tax will determine your loss on your car after recapturing the depreciation allowance claimed in previous years.

Re: I stopped using a vehicle for business because it broke down. I haven't sold it. TTax wants expense of sale but I have no idea what to enter here. Any help appreciated!

pajaro2475 — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 22:19:17 GMT

Thank you Dave! Great information and really appreciated!!!

I do have a couple of follow up questions -

I didn't sell the vehicle in question. I still own it and only stopped using it because it broke down...and is still broken down. Does this change anything? (you'd said "since you sold the vehicle..." in your response and I just wanted to make sure since the IRS seems to be about as much fun to deal with as kidney stones)

Last question (fingers crossed):

I haven't claimed this or any vehicle in previous years. Actually this is my first time filing as a small business owner so it's all new. How do I figure out depreciation of the vehicle without prior years to draw from?

Thank you again! You're very much appreciated!!

Re: I stopped using a vehicle for business because it broke down. I haven't sold it. TTax wants e...

ZoltanB45 — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 20:37:20 GMT

This is your first business return, but you have been using the vehicle for the business in prior years? If you want to begin depreciating it now, get the value of the car at the time you begin recording it as business vehicle. Find out how much it is worth and you can depreciate over 5 years.

I would suggest taking mileage but since it broke down that would not be profitable.