
|
Tax
Treatment and Benefits
Appropriately structured leases are considered a tax-deductible expense,
which allows you to deduct, for tax purposes, the entire amount of the
lease payment from your gross income.
No Additional
Collateral Required
Collateral and/or security in addition to the leased item is not
typically required, which preserves existing conventional financing
relationships.
Margin Management
Leasing matches equipment cost more closely with its use. Additionally,
agribusiness's and sophisticated farmers make evaluations based on
revenue per unit sold vs. cost per unit. Leasing makes per unit
comparisons easier than conventional financing.
Flexibility and
Customized Solutions
A lease can be tailored to fit your specific needs, including
consideration for cash flow timing, fiscal year end, budget cycle,
transaction structure and cyclical fluctuations.
Balance Sheet
Management
A properly structured operating lease may be off-balance sheet. Thus,
liabilities are not increased on the balance sheet and financial ratios
typically improve.
Technology Risk
All risk of obsolescence is transferred to AgStar.
|
|
80%
Financing
Typically, 80% of the cash price of an item is leased, which allows cash
normally used for a down payment to be invested in more
revenue-generating activity.
Cash Flow
Preservation
Since no down payment is required, working capital is preserved. In
addition, lease payments are typically lower than loan payments, which
improves ongoing cash flow.
Immediate
Write-Off
Leasing allows immediate write-off of the dollars spent. Therefore,
equipment does not have to be depreciated over three to seven years, or
longer in the case of fixtures.
Asset Management
A lease provides for the use of an item for a specific time period at a
fixed payment level. The client may have the option to purchase the
asset at the end of the lease from AgStar for a fixed purchase option,
or may decide to return the asset to AgStar. AgStar assumes and manages
the risk of ownership, and is responsible at the end of the lease for
disposition of the asset.
Transfer
Accommodation
Leasing can be used to transfer ownership of an asset at the end of the
lease period to a designated heir, saving on estate taxes. Additionally,
any ownership changes to a partnership and/or joint venture during the
term of the lease are easy to reallocate.
|
|