What Is A Fixed Asset?

fixed asset

What is a Fixed Asset?

A fixed asset is an item of property owned by a business that has a long-term economic value. The cost may be spread out over its estimated useful life by depreciating it, which lowers the amount of taxable profit in the year the asset is purchased.

Understanding what constitutes a fixed asset is important for businesses because they need to be recorded on the balance sheet and are subject to depreciation. This blog post will explain what they are and give some examples.


What Is A Fixed Asset?

A fixed asset is an item of property owned by a business that has a long-term economic value. The cost may be spread out over its estimated useful life by depreciating it, which lowers the amount of taxable profit in the year it is purchased.


Fixed assets can include buildings, machinery, equipment, vehicles, fixtures, and fittings. They are sometimes referred to as plant and equipment. Land is not considered a fixed asset because it does not have a limited useful life. However, buildings on land may be classified as fixed assets.


Intangible assets such as copyrights, trademarks, and goodwill can also be considered fixed assets if they have an indefinite useful life. However, intangible assets with a finite useful life—such as patents—are classified as current assets because they will expire at some point.


Why Are They Important?

Understanding what constitutes a fixed asset is important for businesses because they need to be recorded on the balance sheet and are subject to depreciation. The balance sheet is one of the key financial statements used by businesses to assess their financial health and it provides information on the company’s assets and liabilities.


Depreciation is an accounting method used to spread the cost of a fixed asset over its estimated useful life. 



In conclusion, fixed assets are items of property owned by businesses that have long-term economic value. They are recorded on balance sheets and are subject to depreciation expense which is reported on income statements. 

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About the Author

Annette Ferguson 

Owner of Annette & Co. - Chartered Accountants & Certified Profit First Professionals. Helping online service-based entrepreneurs find clarity in their numbers, increase wealth and have more money in their pockets.

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