What expense category do plants come under?

Audrey CarrollAudrey Carroll, Senior Manager, Accounting, Ramp

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Adding plants to your business space can breathe life into the environment, but when it comes to accounting, figuring out where these green additions fit can be tricky. Let's dig into how you can categorize plant-related expenses for accurate financial reporting.

Classifying plant expenses

Here’s how to categorize different plant-related expenses to streamline your financial tracking:

  • Office supplies: Small plants or flowers purchased to brighten up workspaces can be considered office supplies.
  • Maintenance and repairs: Costs for maintaining existing plants, like watering services or replacing dead plants, fall under maintenance expenses.
  • Capital improvements: Investing in landscaping or large installations that enhance your property's value can be classified as capital improvements.
  • Cost of goods sold (COGS): If you run a business like a nursery or florist, the plants you buy for resale are part of your COGS.

Examples of plant expenses

Understanding plant-related expenses becomes easier with clear examples that show how they fit into your overall financial picture:

  • Purchasing indoor plants for office decor
  • Hiring a service for regular plant care and maintenance
  • Landscaping expenses for your business property's exterior
  • Buying plants for resale if you're in the business of selling plants

Actual cost example: If you spend $500 on landscaping to improve your storefront's appearance, this expense can be categorized under capital improvements.

Tax implications of plant expenses

When it comes to taxes, correctly recording plant expenses is important to ensure compliance. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

  • Deductible expenses: Everyday expenses like buying office plants or paying for maintenance services are typically deductible as business expenses.
  • Depreciation: Significant investments like landscaping or large-scale installations may need to be capitalized and depreciated over time.

Keep detailed records of all plant-related expenses, including receipts and invoices, to ensure you can substantiate deductions. Always consult with a tax professional to ensure you're handling these expenses correctly in your tax filings.

Let Ramp automate your expense process

Managing and categorizing expenses doesn't have to be a chore. Ramp can streamline this process by automatically tracking and categorizing your plant-related expenses in real time. With Ramp, you get clear insights into your spending, helping you make smarter financial decisions without the hassle.

See how Ramp automates accounting and more

As we scale we need tools that are built to scale with us - we need to see expenses real time, we need to see duplicate spend. These types of insights are important to the health of our business.

Steve Padis

SVP Finance & Strategy, Barry's

The information provided in this article does not constitute legal or financial advice and is for general informational purposes only. Please check with an attorney or financial advisor to obtain advice with respect to the content of this article.

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