It seems that there is quite a bit of confusion about this. What this does is that it reduce your deductible cost in the tax year.
First you have to make a profit (tax is on profits).
Secondly, what this does is to limit your software development expenses for tax purposes in the current year because the development cost is seen as a capital cost that will be amortized over five years opposed to operating expenditure in the same year.
If you are a startup and not make profits, then the loss will be less in the current year, but either way, your tax liability is the same: $ 0.
So software development is moved from opex to capex.
I can see why it would affect startups not making a profit but why would it dramatically affect FAANG (e.g. some of the most profitable companies in the world that have been running for decades)? The article contributes all these large layoffs in FAANG, in part, to this tax rule.
There's a difference of $24 but I have $1200 in cash reserves. And I make up the difference later. Oh no! Guess I have to lay off 10% of my employees now.
Yes, but the main thing here is that ALL software development is now "profit" in the short term. In theory you've developed a capital good that benefits you over time, hence the amortization.
Simplified 2021 example before 174:
100k Revenue
100k Software Dev Costs
No profit or tax
Simplified 2022 example after 174:
100k Revenue
100k Software Dev Costs
90k "profit"
18.9k taxes
Above example is year one of suddenly having these taxes, because if your software costs are the same or lower over time it gets easier. It's just extremely painful for smaller and especially fast growing companies like startups without a lot of cash, especially when interest rates are so high.
Accountants: If I am wrong about the above, please correct me
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