Are your retail business’s creaky floorboards or beat-up countertops driving you nuts? Now may be the time to upgrade.

Let’s face it. Image counts. When customers see a store that’s in disrepair, outdated, or simply worse for wear, that negatively affects their view of your products and your business. It may not be fair, but it’s true.

Last December, lawmakers decided to give retail store owners like you some much-needed tax relief. In the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, they made permanent a series of incentives that together allow you to immediately or quickly deduct up to the entire cost of certain real property improvements you make to your property—even very expensive improvements, as we discuss below.

The key to taking advantage of these tax benefits is knowing which real property improvements qualify and ... Log in to view full article.