Quick Life Chart
The purpose of this chart is to provide brief quick reference to the lives of assets frequently encountered when preparing individual returns. For additional information, see the ADR Class Life tables included in this guide. IRS issued Revenue Procedures which offer guidelines about the class lives of property: Rev Proc 87-56, Rev Proc 87-57, and Rev Proc 88-22. The tables from Rev Proc 87-57 are cited later in this guide. These Rev Procedures are generally effective for property placed in service after 12/31/86.
| Asset Description | Asset Class | Class Life | Amount Life | MACRS Life |
| Adding Machines | 00.13 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Agricultural Machinery & Equipment | 01.10 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Airplanes (non-passenger) | 00.21 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Automobiles | 00.22 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Buses | 00.23 | 9 | 9 | 5 |
| Calculators | 00.13 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Cattle - Breeding or Dairy | 01.21 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| Computers - Office | 00.12 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Copiers | 00.13 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Desks - Office | 00.11 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Duplicating Machines | 00.13 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Farm Buildings (not in class 1.40) | 01.30 | 25 | 25 | 20 |
| Fences (Agricultural) | 01.10 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| File Cabinets - Office | 00.11 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Furnishings - Office | 00.11 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Goat - Breeding | 01.24 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Grain Bins | 01.10 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Green Energy Property (Post 2024) | - | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Helicopters | 00.21 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Horse - Work or Breeding (age 12 or less) | 01.221 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Horse - Work or Breeding (over age 12) | 01.222 | 10 | 10 | 3 |
| Horse - Race (over age 2) | 01.223 | - | 12 | 3 |
| Hogs - Breeding | 01.23 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Land Improvements | 00.30 | 20 | 20 | 15 |
| Locomotives (not owned by RR) | 00.25 | 15 | 15 | 7 |
| Mobile Homes | NA | - | 40 | 27.5 |
| Phone Systems - Office | 00.12 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Printers - Computer (Office) | 00.12 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Railroad Cars (not owned by RR) | 00.25 | 15 | 15 | 7 |
| Real Property - Commercial (pre 05/13/93) | NA | - | 40 | 31.5 |
| Real Property - Commercial (post 05/12/93) | NA | - | 40 | 39 |
| Real Property - Residential | NA | - | 40 | 27.5 |
| Retail Motor Fuels Outlet Stores (post 08/19/96) | NA | 20 | 20 | 15 |
| Sales - Office | 00.11 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Service Station Building & Petroleum Marketing Land Improv. | 57.1 | 20 | 20 | 15 |
| Sheep Breeding | 01.24 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Software - Computer ** | 00.12 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Structure - Agriculture single purpose (post '88) | 01.40 | 15 | 15 | 10 |
| Taxis | 00.22 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Tractor Units (for over the road) | 00.26 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Trailers | 00.27 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Trailer Mounter Containers | 00.27 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Trees | - | - | 20 | 10* |
| Trucks (less than 13,000 #) | 00.241 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Trucks - (13,000 # or more) | 00.242 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Vines (post '88) | - | 10 | 20 | 15* |
* Straight-line only.
** Sec 176(f) allows a 36-month life, straight-line method for software.