It’s Your Money, Keep More of It!

One of the more critical elements of utilizing the R&D credit is your company’s ability to track related data appropriately. As a refresher, the Research & Development (R&D) tax credit rewards firms for engaging in qualified research activities (QRAs) by providing a credit for a portion of their qualified research expenditures (QREs) resulting from these activities. To be recognized as a QRA, an activity must pass a four-part test, plus the firm must present documentation that corroborates the test requirements. Now let’s walk through the steps you must take to ensure your qualifying activity documentation stands on data you can be confident in.

Data Is at the Heart of R&D Qualification

The reality is that your organization may have many qualifying activities, but if you can’t back them up with supporting data, they will not be approved for the tax credit. The IRS provides very little guidance to taxpayers about what they consider adequate documentation for the R&D credit. Current regulations state that those firms claiming R&D tax credits must retain records in a sufficiently usable form and detail to substantiate that the expenditures claimed are eligible for the credit. That vague description isn’t very helpful, but based on our extensive experience working with firms to secure savings, we have insight into what you should be tracking.

The key takeaway here is to track data throughout the year. So many manufacturers attempt to collect information right before submitting for the credit and face the challenge of trying to piece things together, or worse, they give up altogether because it seems too overwhelming. Setting up a process to track throughout the year will save you significant time and money, plus there will be less chance of inaccuracies.

First Things First

The most significant challenge you may face is accurately capturing R&D project-related time, expenses, and historical data. It’s fair to say that not all accounting and financial platforms are created equal. While many capture surface-level data, not all are designed to include more detailed information. Insufficient tracking tools result in firms having to rely on estimates rather than real-time data to substantiate their expenditures. Not exactly what you want to be providing the IRS.

Your accounting system can make or break how well you are able to track qualifying projects from beginning to end. It’s critical to have one central location to store all relevant information, including time and expenses. Leveraging real-time numbers allows your company to generate immediate reports on the progress and costs of your R&D projects and substantiates your credit claims.

Planning Ahead Has Its Rewards

It is absolutely worthwhile to implement a documentation process, even if you’re not able to submit for the credits immediately. Don’t count on remembering everything a year from now. Once you have a process in place, what kind of rewards can you expect from the R&D credit?

Over the past year, we have helped clients of various sizes and specialties to reap some significant benefits; here are a few success story examples.

Success Story #1

A machining manufacturer with approximately $5mm in revenue. SN was able to identify and qualify gross credits of $34,000.

Success Story #2

An electrical manufacturer with $22mm in revenue. SN helped identify and qualify gross credits of $46,000.

Success Story #3

A sporting goods manufacturer with over $32mm in revenue. SN was able to identify and qualify gross credits of $86,000.

Success Story #4

An automation machinery manufacturer with over $33mm in revenue was able to identify and qualify gross credits of $202,000.

Success Story #5

A metal fabrication manufacturer with over $25mm in revenue. SN helped identify and qualify gross credits of $72,000.

Next Steps

The more information you have to justify your R&D expenses, the more success you have if your claims come under examination. The quality of data used to build your claim is a big factor when determining its overall value and integrity. Learn how manufacturers are saving significant money through this powerful tax savings strategy.