Car depreciation calculator

To estimate how much value your car has lost, simply subtract the car's current fair market value from its purchase price, minus any sales tax or fees. If you're considering buying a car, look up the fair market value of older versions of the make and model to get a sense of the car's value down the road.

The tax law has defined a specific class life for each type of asset. Real Property is 39 year property, office furniture is 7 year property and autos and trucks are 5 year property. See Publication 946, How to Depreciate Property.

After one year, your car will probably be worth about 20% less than what you bought it for. AFTER FIVE YEARS: After that steep first-year dip, that new car will depreciate by 15–25% every year until it hits the five-year mark. So, after five years, that new car will lose around 60% of its value.

After three years, cars generally have residual values of around 40% to 60% of their original price (though the market value may be higher).