Measuring Depreciation – How to Calculate Depreciation
Economists consider depreciation as capital consumption. For them, there are two distinct ways of measuring depreciation either by assuming the value of depreciation of equipment to its opportunity cost or to its replacement cost that will produce comparable earning. Opportunity cost of equipment is the most profitable alternate use of that is foregone by putting it to its present use. The problem is to measure the opportunity cost. One method of measuring the opportunity cost, as suggested by Joel Dean, is to measure the fall in value during a year. By using this method cannot be applied when capital equipment has no alternative use, like a thermal-power project. In such cases, replacement cost is an appropriate measure of depreciation. Under this method, the cost of the new asset and the residual value of the old asset are taken as the depreciation of the asset. But depreciation is recorded only at Continue reading