Equipment leasing as a joint venture.

A lack of capital to expand programs, develop new facilities, and replace necessary equipment is a problem frequently confronted in today's medical group practices. Historically, many groups have offset some of the costs of growth by utilizing investment tax credits for depreciable equipment to provide tax shelters for group physicians. Due to recent tax court decisions, however, there is the possibility that many of these tax credits will be disallowed. In an effort to accomplish their original goal of purchasing equipment, passing through tax credits to individual physician partners, and obtaining financial resources at the best market rate, two California medical groups formed an equipment leasing partnership.