According to the IRS, the Section 179 tax deduction limit as of January 1st 2014 is $25,000 with a $200,000 investment ceiling.
Here are some details. Under Sec. 179, small business owners (that includes a self-employed consultant) can deduct the entire cost (100%) of up to $25,000 of new or used computer equipment, vehicles, furniture—most depreciable assets that have less than a 20-year life.
With bonus depreciation, a company can deduct half the cost of new capital purchases in the first year. It can still be more valuable than the Sec. 179 break because the Sec. 179 deduction is limited to business taxable income with any excess carried forward. But if you’re actively involved in running a business, you can not only claim losses generated by 50% bonus depreciation against other income but can also carry any still unused losses back for two years and get a refund check from Uncle Sam.
Congress could raise the limit by April 15th 2014. Still a chance they could raise it back up after April 15th 2014 as they did in 2012.