My daughter used her old car for self-employment (she also has a regular job). She drove about 1000 miles for self-employment in 2017, about 10% of the total miles driven in 2017. In December, she traded the old car in. She got about $1500 on the trade-in. She has not used the new car for business, but she might at some point this year. Do we put in $150 for sales price, since it was used 10% for business? Does it matter what the purchase price of the new car is? Does she really have to pay tax on the trade-in value?
There is no taxable event on the trade-in. The cost basis of the new car is reduced for the depreciation used on the old car. To do that, there is a part of the standard mileage rate that is considered the depreciation. Multiply that rate times the business miles each year to arrive at the depreciation used as a deduction on the tax returns. Then take that total and reduce the cost basis of the new are (first by the trade-in then by the depreciation).
Rate of Depreciation Allowed in Standard Mileage Rate
There is no taxable event on the trade-in. The cost basis of the new car is reduced for the depreciation used on the old car. To do that, there is a part of the standard mileage rate that is considered the depreciation. Multiply that rate times the business miles each year to arrive at the depreciation used as a deduction on the tax returns. Then take that total and reduce the cost basis of the new are (first by the trade-in then by the depreciation).
Rate of Depreciation Allowed in Standard Mileage Rate