What is the primary characteristic of the first year's depreciation using the reducing balance method?

The primary characteristic of the first year's depreciation using the reducing balance method is that it is the highest compared to subsequent years. This method calculates depreciation based on a fixed percentage of the asset's book value at the beginning of each year. Since the asset's value is highest at the start, the absolute amount of depreciation expense is also highest in the first year. As the asset depreciates over time, the book value decreases, resulting in a lower depreciation expense in the following years. This dynamic illustrates how the reducing balance method systematically decreases the depreciation amount over the life of the asset, making the first year's depreciation stand out as the largest figure.