Can I still claim 100% Bonus Depreciation on my vehicle for 2022 taxes filed late?
Hey everyone, So I've got a question about bonus depreciation for my SUV and I think I might have missed out on it for 2022 since I'm super late filing those taxes. I filed for an extension which gave me until October 2023, but here I am in 2025 just getting around to it (I know, I'm terrible). My main concern is whether I've completely missed the boat on the 100% bonus depreciation. For context, I didn't make much money in 2022, maybe around $25,000 total. I sold my old car that I'd owned for 10 years (already fully depreciated) for about $9,500, and then purchased a 2019 Santa Fe in March 2022 for roughly $38,000. I'm trying to decide whether to put this vehicle into service starting from when I bought it in 2022 or wait until January 2023. If I've missed the deadline for the 100% bonus depreciation for 2022, I'm thinking I should just start the depreciation in January 2023 to at least get the 80% bonus depreciation since it's being phased out by 20% each year until 2027. I still haven't filed my 2023 taxes either (I'm on extension until October 2025), and plan to finish them after I complete my 2022 return. For 2023, I have three Schedule C businesses - real estate (lost about $2,500), therapy practice (made around $6,500), and rideshare driving (earned about $6,500). I was in school full-time in 2023 and mostly lived off student loans and credit cards, so my income was pretty minimal. If I take the depreciation starting January 2023, I'm guessing it might roll over to my 2024 return since I barely made any money in 2023. Sorry for the lengthy explanation, but I wanted to provide enough details for anyone who might be able to help. Thanks in advance!
20 comments


Sebastián Stevens
The answer to your question about bonus depreciation depends on when you actually "placed the vehicle in service" for your business, not when you decide to start claiming it on your taxes. If you actually started using the Santa Fe for business purposes in 2022, then that's when it was placed in service - regardless of when you file your tax return. The late filing doesn't disqualify you from claiming bonus depreciation, but it may result in penalties and interest for filing late. For a vehicle used for business, you should document the business use percentage and track your mileage carefully. If your vehicle weighs over 6,000 pounds, different rules may apply that allow for more generous deductions. Looking at your multiple Schedule C businesses, you'll need to allocate the vehicle use between them based on actual usage. Given your low income in 2022 and 2023, you're right that some depreciation might carry forward, especially if it creates a net operating loss.
0 coins
Bethany Groves
•Wait, so are you saying they can still claim 100% bonus depreciation even though they're filing their 2022 return super late? I thought there was a deadline for that. Also, how do they figure out the percentage between their different businesses? Just track miles for each one separately?
0 coins
Sebastián Stevens
•Yes, they can still claim the 100% bonus depreciation for 2022 if the vehicle was actually placed in service (used for business) during 2022. The late filing doesn't eliminate eligibility for bonus depreciation, but they will face late filing penalties and interest on any taxes owed. For allocating the vehicle between multiple businesses, they should track the miles driven for each business purpose separately. A mileage log with dates, business purpose, and miles driven for each trip is the best documentation. The percentage of business use for each Schedule C would be calculated based on the miles driven for each business divided by the total miles driven.
0 coins
KingKongZilla
I was in a similar situation and found taxr.ai super helpful for sorting through all my vehicle deduction options. I was totally confused about bonus depreciation vs. Section 179 vs. standard mileage, and which method would be best for my late-filed returns. I uploaded my purchase documents and mileage logs to https://taxr.ai and got clear guidance on what I could claim for my vehicle. They showed me how to maximize my deductions while staying compliant, even with late filing. Their system analyzed my business usage patterns across multiple Schedule Cs and recommended the most advantageous filing approach.
0 coins
Rebecca Johnston
•How does it work with multiple businesses though? I drive for both Uber and DoorDash and I'm never sure how to split the vehicle expenses between them.
0 coins
Nathan Dell
•Sounds interesting but I'm skeptical about these tax AI tools. How accurate is it with something as complex as depreciation rules? Does it actually understand the nuances between the different years and the phasing out of bonus depreciation?
0 coins
KingKongZilla
•For multiple businesses like Uber and DoorDash, the system helps you allocate expenses based on your mileage records for each platform. It basically calculates the percentage of miles driven for each business and applies that to your vehicle expenses. Regarding the accuracy, I had the same concerns initially. What impressed me was that it specifically flagged the phasing out of bonus depreciation (100% for 2022, 80% for 2023, etc.) and ran multiple scenarios to show which approach would be most beneficial given my income situation. It's built on tax code rules and seemed to catch all the details I was missing, especially with the late filing implications.
0 coins
Nathan Dell
I actually ended up using taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment. Have to admit I was impressed with how it handled my situation. I had a similarly late filing with multiple Schedule Cs and confusion about when my vehicle was "placed in service." The system analyzed my situation and showed me that I could still claim the 100% bonus depreciation for 2022 despite filing late, but explained the penalty situation clearly. It also helped me understand how to properly document business use percentage across my different businesses, which was super helpful since I had been tracking things inconsistently. Most importantly, it showed me how to properly carry forward the depreciation deductions I couldn't use due to my low 2022 income. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with vehicle depreciation questions.
0 coins
Maya Jackson
With your situation being so complex and having multiple delayed filings, you might want to consider using Claimyr to get direct advice from the IRS. I was in a similar boat with late filings and vehicle depreciation questions, and kept getting different answers online. I was skeptical at first, but used https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent walked me through exactly how to handle bonus depreciation on my late-filed return and what documentation I needed to keep. Given that you have three Schedule Cs and complex vehicle depreciation questions, getting official guidance might save you from potential audit headaches down the road.
0 coins
Tristan Carpenter
•How does this service actually work? Can they really get you through to the IRS faster? I tried calling about my bonus depreciation question last month and gave up after being on hold for over an hour.
0 coins
Amaya Watson
•Yeah right. There's no way some third-party service can magically get you through the IRS phone maze. If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it. Sounds like a waste of money to me.
0 coins
Maya Jackson
•The service basically uses technology to navigate the IRS phone system and wait on hold for you. When they reach an agent, they call you and connect you directly. I was skeptical too, but it actually worked - I got a call back within about 15 minutes and was connected straight to an IRS representative. As for whether it's worth it, I spent three separate days trying to get through on my own without success. When I finally spoke with the IRS agent, they clarified that I could still claim bonus depreciation on my late-filed return but needed to make sure I documented the business use starting from when I actually started using the vehicle, not when I decided to claim it. The agent also explained exactly how the carryforward would work with my low income.
0 coins
Amaya Watson
I need to eat some humble pie here. After dismissing Claimyr in my earlier comment, I decided to try it since I was getting nowhere with the IRS on my own regarding a similar bonus depreciation question for my late 2022 return. I was genuinely shocked when I got a call back in about 20 minutes connecting me to an actual IRS agent. The agent confirmed that I could still claim bonus depreciation even though I was filing late, but warned that I'd face penalties for the late filing itself. They also walked me through how to document when I placed my vehicle in service and how to allocate it between my different business activities. For anyone dealing with complex depreciation questions on late returns, getting direct confirmation from the IRS gave me peace of mind that I wasn't making a mistake that would cause problems later.
0 coins
Grant Vikers
Have you considered Section 179 instead of bonus depreciation? With your low income in 2022 and 2023, bonus depreciation might create losses that you can't use for years. Section 179 lets you choose exactly how much to deduct in the first year, which might be more beneficial in your situation. Also, don't forget that SUVs between 6,000-14,000 lbs have special limitations under Section 179. The Santa Fe is likely under this weight limit, so standard passenger vehicle limits would apply.
0 coins
Angelina Farar
•Thanks for bringing up Section 179. I was mostly focused on bonus depreciation and hadn't really considered that option. Would Section 179 still be available for me even though I'm filing so late? And how would I determine the optimal amount to deduct if I went this route?
0 coins
Grant Vikers
•Yes, Section 179 is still available even with a late filing. Like bonus depreciation, eligibility is based on when you placed the vehicle in service, not when you file. For determining the optimal amount, I'd look at your actual business income from each Schedule C. Ideally, you'd deduct just enough to reduce your tax liability to zero without creating excess losses. For example, if your combined net income before vehicle deductions was $15,000, you might elect to deduct just $15,000 of the vehicle's cost under Section 179 rather than the full amount. This approach gives you more control than bonus depreciation, which requires you to take the full deduction and then carry forward any unused losses. With your situation spanning multiple years of low income, strategic partial deductions might work better.
0 coins
Giovanni Martello
Don't forget about the business use percentage! If you're using your Santa Fe for both personal and business purposes, you can only depreciate the business portion. For example, if you use it 70% for business and 30% personal, you can only take depreciation on 70% of the cost. Also, have you considered just taking standard mileage for 2022 and 2023 instead of actual expenses with depreciation? With your low income, it might be simpler and possibly more beneficial.
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
•Standard mileage is definitely worth considering. The 2022 rate was 58.5 cents per mile for the first half and 62.5 cents for the second half of the year. 2023 was 65.5 cents per mile. Those rates are pretty good especially for a newer vehicle like a Santa Fe.
0 coins
Malik Thomas
Your situation is more common than you think! The good news is that filing late doesn't disqualify you from bonus depreciation - what matters is when you actually placed the vehicle in service for business use. Since you bought the Santa Fe in March 2022 and presumably started using it for business then, you can still claim 100% bonus depreciation for 2022. However, you'll face late filing penalties and interest on any taxes owed. Given your low income across 2022-2023, I'd strongly recommend running the numbers on a few different scenarios: 1. **100% bonus depreciation in 2022** - This will likely create a large NOL that carries forward 2. **Section 179 election** - You can choose exactly how much to deduct (maybe just enough to zero out your 2022 income) 3. **Standard mileage method** - Might be simpler and more beneficial given your income levels With three Schedule Cs and varying income levels, the optimal strategy isn't obvious. You'll need to track business use percentage carefully and allocate between your different businesses based on actual mileage. Consider getting professional help given the complexity - whether that's a tax software that can model different scenarios or speaking with a tax professional who can run the numbers for your specific situation.
0 coins
Ella Cofer
•This is exactly the kind of comprehensive breakdown I was hoping for! I hadn't really thought about running different scenarios to compare the outcomes. Since I'm dealing with multiple years of low income and three different businesses, it sounds like the standard approach might not be the best fit for my situation. The idea of using Section 179 to just zero out my 2022 income instead of creating a huge NOL makes a lot of sense. Do you know if there are any good resources or tools that can help model these different scenarios? I'm trying to avoid making a decision that looks good for 2022 but creates problems down the road with my 2023 and 2024 returns. Also, when you mention tracking business use percentage - is this something I need to reconstruct for 2022 since I didn't keep detailed records back then, or can I estimate based on my current usage patterns?
0 coins