Sellers usually prefer to allocate as much as possible to capital gain assets and intangibles rather than ordinary income assets, whereas buyers typically want to allocate to assets they can depreciate rapidly. Therefore, the allocation is often a negotiated component of a sales agreement.
Definition: Allocations divide costs between different departments or activities within a company. For instance, overhead costs such as the rent and utilities are often allocated to the company's operating units. Determining accruals and allocations nearly always entails making assumptions and estimates.