Question: Ms. T. Potts, the treasurer of Ideal China, has a problem. The company has just ordered a new kiln for $540,000. Of this sum, $64,000 is described by the supplier as an installation cost. Ms. Potts does not know whether the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will permit the company to treat this cost as a tax-deductible current expense or as a capital investment. In the latter case, the company could depreciate the $64,000 using the five-year MACRS tax depreciation schedule.
Assume the tax rate is 30% and the opportunity cost of capital is 4%. Calculate the value of the tax shield if the kiln is currently expensed and if it is treated as a capital investment. (Do not round intermediate calculations. Round your answers to the nearest whole dollar amount.)
Tax shield if currently expensed $
Tax shield if capital investment $