Tax Benefits
If you use your Mothership van for business, U.S. tax law may allow you to write off a significant portion of the cost.
This page is a plain-language overview to help you have a smarter conversation with your tax professional.
This is not tax, legal, or accounting advice. Rules change, and your situation is unique. Always confirm everything with a qualified tax professional.
What Is Section 179?
Section 179 is a part of the U.S. tax code that can let businesses deduct the cost of certain equipment up front, instead of spreading that deduction over many years.
In simple terms:
If your Mothership van is used for business and qualifies, your CPA may be able to treat part of the business-use cost as an expense in the year you start using it for work—within IRS limits.
Common points your CPA will care about:
Business use – The van generally needs to be used more than 50% for business to qualify for Section 179.
Vehicle type & weight – Heavier vehicles are often treated differently than passenger cars.
Annual limits – Section 179 has yearly dollar caps and other rules your CPA will need to check for the current year.
Section 179 + Bonus Depreciation
A one-two punch
Section 179 isn’t the only tool. There’s also bonus depreciation, which can allow additional first-year write-offs on qualifying property.
In many situations, the flow your CPA considers looks like:
Use Section 179 to deduct a large portion of the business-use cost up front.
Use bonus depreciation on some or all of what’s left, depending on current rules and strategy.
How much you can deduct, and when, depends on current law and your specific numbers—this always runs through a professional.
A Story: How Someone Could “Save” $250,000
Here’s a purely hypothetical example that shows why people talk about Section 179 like a secret superpower:
A business owner buys a $500,000 Mothership van.
They use it 100% for their business (mobile office, studio, production van, etc.).
Their combined tax rate (federal + state) is around 50%.
Their CPA confirms the van qualifies and uses a mix of Section 179 and bonus depreciation in year one.
If they can deduct the full $500,000 in the first year, that could reduce their tax bill by about $250,000 (50% of $500,000).
That’s the idea:
Instead of sending that money in taxes, you’ve redirected it into a rolling basecamp that lets you work and live differently.
This is not a promise or a typical result—it’s just a clean example of how powerful these rules can be when everything lines up.
What Your CPA Will Focus On
When you bring this up with a professional, they’ll usually zero in on:
How you use the van
Client work, production, events, travel between sites, mobile office, etc.
How much is business vs. personal
Often supported by mileage logs, calendars, or usage estimates.
When it’s placed in service
Deductions generally start when the van is ready and available for business use.
Your entity and location
LLC vs. S-corp vs. sole proprietor, and which state(s) you operate in.
How to Talk to Your Tax Professional
You don’t need to be an expert—that’s their job. You just need a clear conversation. For example:
Describe the van and your plans
“I’m buying a custom van that I’ll use for [photography, production, consulting, events, etc.], mostly for business.”
Share the basic numbers
Purchase price
Approximate business-use percentage
When you expect to start using it for work
Ask one direct question
“Given Section 179, bonus depreciation, and regular depreciation, what’s the smartest way to write off this van for my situation?”
From there, they’ll tell you what’s possible—and what isn’t—under current law.
Important Disclaimer
Tax rules change often.
Eligibility depends on your income, entity type, use of the van, and where you operate.
Section 179 and bonus depreciation have detailed limits, thresholds, and exceptions.
This page is informational only. It’s here to help you ask better questions, not to tell you what you personally can deduct.
Before relying on any tax strategy related to your Mothership, talk with a qualified tax professional who understands your business and your state.