Season’s​ ​Greetings​ ​from​ ​your​ ​friends​ ​at​ ​TCA!

With​ ​all​ ​the​ ​news​ ​developing​ ​in​ ​Washington​ ​about​ ​the​ ​proposed​ ​tax​ ​overhaul,​ ​it’s​ ​important​ ​to remember​ ​that​ ​the​ ​existing​ ​tax​ ​rules​ ​are​ ​fully​ ​in​ ​place​ ​for​ ​the​ ​2017​ ​filing​ ​year.​ ​That​ ​means​ ​that when​ ​you’re​ ​filing​ ​your​ ​taxes​ ​next​ ​year,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​important​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​the​ ​federal​ ​Research​ ​Credit and​ ​the​ ​various​ ​state​ ​credits​ ​that​ ​might​ ​also​ ​apply.

The​ ​federal​ ​research​ ​credit​ ​dates​ ​back​ ​to​ ​1981,​ ​and​ ​you​ ​can​ ​expect​ ​to​ ​receive​ ​tax​ ​credits​ ​for eligible​ ​experimental​ ​development​ ​costs​ ​that​ ​your​ ​business​ ​performed​ ​during​ ​the​ ​2017​ ​filing year​ ​that​ ​are​ ​properly​ ​documented.​ ​This​ ​important​ ​incentive​ ​program​ ​​can​ ​amount​ ​to​​ ​​as much​ ​as​ ​​ten​ ​percent​​ ​of​ ​your​ ​qualified​ ​spending​ ​on​ ​people,​ ​materials,​ ​and​ ​related​ ​investments dedicated​ ​to​ ​figuring​ ​out​ ​how​ ​or​ ​whether​ ​you​ ​can​ ​make​ ​something​ ​new​ ​or​ ​improved​ ​by experimental​ ​means.​ ​This​ ​applies​ ​not​ ​only​ ​to​ ​new​ ​products,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​to​ ​improved​ ​ones,​ ​as​ ​well as​ ​new​ ​and​ ​improved​ ​processes,​ ​software​ ​and​ ​equipment.​ ​Also,​ ​because​ ​this​ ​is​ ​a​ ​tax​ ​credit​ ​and not​ ​merely​ ​a​ ​deduction,​ ​the​ ​credit​ ​value​ ​results​ ​in​ ​a​ ​​dollar​ ​for​ ​dollar​​ ​reduction​ ​in​ ​your​ ​tax​ ​bill!

In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​federal​ ​credit,​ ​numerous​ ​state​ ​credits​ ​are​ ​also​ ​in​ ​place.​ ​No​ ​matter​ ​where​ ​in​ ​the US​ ​you​ ​are​ ​located,​ ​we​ ​would​ ​be​ ​happy​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you​ ​figure​ ​out​ ​whether​ ​you​ ​qualify​ ​for​ ​these programs,​ ​and​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you​ ​file​ ​successful​ ​claims​ ​if​ ​you​ ​do.​ ​These​ ​federal​ ​and​ ​state​ ​benefits​ ​are intended​ ​to​ ​encourage​ ​companies​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​engineering,​ ​manufacturing,​ ​and​ ​software​ ​jobs​ ​here in​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States.

Things​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​in​ ​mind​ ​when​ ​considering​ ​research​ ​and​ ​development​ ​tax​ ​credits​ ​here​ ​in​ ​North America:

Many​ ​industries​ ​benefit​ ​from​ ​Research​ ​and​ ​Development​ ​tax​ ​credits

It’s​ ​important​ ​not​ ​to​ ​discount​ ​your​ ​industry​ ​just​ ​because​ ​it​ s​​eems​ ​​like​ ​you​ ​might​ ​not​ ​qualify.​ ​Any company​ ​that​ ​engages​ ​in​ ​experimental​ ​development​ ​can​ ​be​ ​eligible.​ ​The​ ​important​ ​thing​ ​is​ ​that the​ ​experimentation​ ​must​ ​be​ ​intended​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​or​ ​improve​ ​an​ ​existing​ ​product​ ​or​ ​process.​ ​For example,​ ​even​ ​a​ ​manufacturer​ ​of​ ​wire​ ​coat​ ​hangers​ ​can​ ​qualify​ ​so​ ​long​ ​as​ ​the​ ​aim​ ​of​ ​the experimental​ ​effort​ ​is​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​a​ ​new​ ​or​ ​improved​ ​technical​ ​capability.​ ​Such​ ​a​ ​company​ ​might try​ ​to​ ​reduce​ ​scrap​ ​rates,​ ​or​ ​improve​ ​cycle​ ​times,​ ​or​ ​reduce​ ​part​ ​weight,​ ​or​ ​engage​ ​in​ ​any​ ​of​ ​a number​ ​of​ ​other​ ​activities,​ ​all​ ​of​ ​which​ ​can​ ​be​ ​eligible​ ​for​ ​tax​ ​credit​ ​support.

Your​ ​company​ ​does​ ​not​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​of​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​size​ ​to​ ​be​ ​eligible​ ​to​ ​claim​ ​research​ ​and development​ ​tax​ ​credits

Big​ ​or​ ​small​ ​businesses​ ​can​ ​claim​ ​tax​ ​credits,​ ​as​ ​long​ ​as​ ​the​ ​processes​ ​they​ ​are​ ​developing​ ​and testing​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​eligibility​ ​criteria.​ ​Millions​ ​of​ ​tax​ ​credit​ ​dollars​ ​are​ ​left​ ​on​ ​the​ ​table​ ​every​ ​year because​ ​many​ ​companies​ ​think​ ​they​ ​are​ ​too​ ​small​ ​to​ ​claim​ ​these​ ​credits.​ ​Large​ ​conglomerate corporations​ ​aren’t​ ​the​ ​only​ ​ones​ ​that​ ​can​ ​perform​ ​research​ ​and​ ​receive​ ​funding.​ ​It’s​ ​important to​ ​know​ ​that​ ​even​ ​your​ ​small​ ​business​ ​can​ ​compete​ ​and​ ​claim​ ​research​ ​and​ ​development​ ​tax credits​ ​as​ ​well.​ ​Most​ ​US​ ​taxpayers​ ​who​ ​engage​ ​in​ ​experimental​ ​development​ ​can​ ​qualify regardless​ ​of​ ​company​ ​size.

Canadian​ ​companies​ ​can​ ​also​ ​benefit​ ​from​ ​tax​ ​credits

We​ ​also​ ​offer​ ​our​ ​services​ ​in​ ​Canada,​ ​where​ ​the​ ​federal​ ​Scientific​ ​Research​ ​and​ ​Experimental Development​ ​(SR&ED)​ ​credit​ ​serves​ ​a​ ​similar​ ​purpose.​ ​A​ ​number​ ​of​ ​provincial​ ​credits​ ​are​ ​also available​ ​and​ ​we​ ​would​ ​be​ ​happy​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you​ ​navigate​ ​the​ ​rules​ ​and​ ​requirements.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​all about​ ​keeping​ ​jobs​ ​here​ ​in​ ​North​ ​America!

As​ ​always,​ ​Tax​ ​Credit​ ​Advisors​ ​is​ ​here​ ​to​ ​help.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​find​ ​out​ ​if​ ​your​ ​company​ ​is​ ​eligible for​ ​research​ ​and​ ​development​ ​tax​ ​credits,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​assist​ ​you.​ ​Contact​ ​us​ ​today​ ​to​ ​get​ ​started.