What is the effect of straight-line depreciation on financial statements?

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Q: What is the effect of straight-line depreciation on financial statements?

Solution: Straight-line depreciation reduces net income evenly over the asset's useful life.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what straight-line depreciation is. It is a method of spreading the cost of an asset evenly over its useful life.
Step 2: Know that when a company buys an asset, it cannot deduct the full cost in one year. Instead, it deducts a portion each year.
Step 3: Calculate the annual depreciation expense by taking the cost of the asset and dividing it by its useful life.
Step 4: Record the annual depreciation expense on the income statement. This reduces the company's net income for that year.
Step 5: Understand that lower net income means lower taxes for the company, but it also shows less profit to investors.
Step 6: On the balance sheet, the asset's value decreases each year by the amount of depreciation, reflecting its reduced value over time.