A company purchased machinery for $50,000 and spent an additional $10,000 on improvements. Over the years, it claimed $15,000 in depreciation. When the machinery is sold for $60,000, the income tax basis would be $45,000 ($50,000 + $10,000 - $15,000), and the gain on sale would be $15,000 ($60,000 - $45,000).
Our accountant calculated the income tax basis of our sold assets to determine the accurate gain for our tax filings this year.