Depreciation recapture is the rule that turns gain on a depreciated business asset back into ordinary income — up to the depreciation allowed or allowable — when you sell the asset or business use drops to 50% or less.
Sell the hauler above its written-down basis and Form 4797’s instructions are blunt: for section 1245 property, gain is “treated as ordinary income to the extent of the depreciation (or amortization) allowed or allowable.” Allowed or allowable: you can be recaptured on depreciation you never claimed. The trap needs no sale — Form 4797 also covers “the computation of recapture amounts under sections 179 and 280F(b)(2) when the business use of section 179 or listed property decreases to 50% or less.” Let section 179 property fall out of predominant business use before the end of its recovery period and Form 4562’s instructions say the benefit “must be reported as ‘other income’ on your return.” General education, not tax advice.
Every dollar you expensed on the trailer up front is a dollar of ordinary income waiting on the day you sell it or stop using it for the business.