In December the United States Congress passed one of the most sweeping tax reform legislations in over twenty years. This legislation included two great incentivize for businesses to install fire sprinklers in their commercial structures. The two fire sprinkler incentives were the Cost Recover Section 13201 and Small Business Section 179 Expensing.

In the Cost Recover Section 13201, any new sprinkler system installed after September 27, 2017 in either a commercial or residential structure until December 31, 2022 will be fully expensed. Thus meaning the homeowner or business owner can immediately write off the full cost of the sprinkler system. After 2022 the ability to deduct the cost is as follows: 2023 - 80%, 2024 - 60%, 2025 - 40%, 2026 - 20% and in 2027 it reverts back to previous rules. Prior to this tax reform commercial structures were depreciated over a 39 year time horizon, and residential structures over 27.5 years.

Fire Protection has been added as an eligible expense under the Small Business Section 179. In addition to adding fire protection to the Small Business Section, Congress has also increased the to $1 million as the amount small business can deduct in a single year. This only applies to commercial structures and not residential structures.

The New Windsor Fire Company encourages any business to speak with their tax professionals for additional details regarding this historic tax incentive.