What is the difference between amortization and depreciation?

Because very few assets last forever, one of the main principles of accrual acco unting requires that an asset's cost be proportionally expensed based on the tim e period over which the asset was used. Both depreciation and amortization (as w ell as depletion) are methods that are used to prorate the cost of a specific ty pe of asset to the asset's life. It is important to mention that these methods a re calculated by subtracting the asset's salvage value from its original cost. Amortization usually refers to spreading an intangible asset's cost over that as set's useful life. For example, a patent on a piece of medical equipment usually has a life of 17 years. The cost involved with creating the medical equipment i s spread out over the life of the patent, with each portion being recorded as an expense on the company's income statement. Depreciation, on the other hand, refers to prorating a tangible asset's cost ove r that asset's life. For example, an office building can be used for a number of years before it becomes run down and is sold. The cost of the building is sprea d out over the predicted life of the building, with a portion of the cost being expensed each accounting year. Depletion refers to the allocation of the cost of natural resources over time. F or example, an oil well has a finite life before all of the oil is pumped out. T herefore, the oil well's setup costs are spread out over the predicted life of t he oil well. It is important to note that in some places, such as Canada, the terms amortizat ion and depreciation are often to used interchangeably to refer to both tangible and intangible assets. Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/amortizationvsdepreciation .asp#ixzz1vKWqT6tJ