R&D Tax Credits - Claim Preparation & Support

Your innovation deserves a claim that reflects the work you've done.

Research and development can be expensive, uncertain and demanding. Fortunately, Canadian tax incentives and funding programmes, such as the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) programme, can provide substantial financial support for businesses undertaking eligible work.

But identifying an opportunity and preparing a successful claim are two different things.

An effective claim requires an understanding of the underlying technology, the challenges encountered, the work performed, the expenditures incurred and the evidence connecting them.

We help Canadian businesses identify, prepare and support R&D tax credit claims, whether you're exploring an opportunity for the first time, need additional expertise or would prefer an experienced adviser to manage the entire process.

How can we help?

Preparing your first claim

You've invested in developing new products, improving processes, solving difficult engineering problems or advancing technology. You suspect some of that work may qualify for R&D tax credits, but you're not sure where to begin.

We help you determine which programmes may apply, identify potentially eligible activities and expenditures, and understand what information is required to prepare a claim.

You don't need to become an expert in R&D tax legislation. That's our job.

Additional help with an existing process

Perhaps your finance team already handles the financial aspects of your claims but needs specialist assistance with technical documentation.

Perhaps your engineers have excellent development records, but translating those records into an effective claim takes more time than expected.

Or perhaps you've been filing claims for years and want to establish whether you're receiving your full entitlement.

We work alongside your existing team, focusing on the areas where additional technical, financial or claims expertise can provide the greatest value.

Complete claim preparation

Sometimes the most effective approach is to have an experienced adviser manage the entire process.

We can co-ordinate claim preparation from initial project identification through technical interviews, expenditure analysis, supporting documentation and preparation of the completed claim for filing.

Your team provides the knowledge and records. We handle the specialist analysis, documentation and co-ordination, while keeping demands on your people proportionate to what's required.

How we prepare your claim

Every business is different, but our approach brings together two essential elements: the technical work performed and the financial resources used to perform it.

Understanding the technology

We start by talking to the people who actually performed the work.

What were they trying to achieve? What challenges did they encounter? What was already known, and what needed to be investigated or developed?

For programmes requiring evidence of technological uncertainty and advancement, we examine the underlying uncertainties, the investigations undertaken and what was learned along the way.

We review existing technical records, which might include design documents, source-code histories, laboratory notebooks, engineering reports, test results, project records and correspondence.

Our aim is to identify and explain the eligible work accurately, using existing evidence wherever possible.

Understanding the expenditure

We work with your finance team to understand how the business records its development costs and how those costs relate to eligible activities.

Depending on the programme, eligible expenditures may include employee salaries and wages, contractor costs, materials and other allowable amounts.

We examine the financial records, allocation methods and supporting information to identify eligible expenditures and ensure that the amounts claimed can be substantiated.

This is where experience matters. A properly prepared claim should capture your full legitimate entitlement, without exposing the business to unnecessary risk through unsupported positions.

Bringing everything together

The technical and financial components must tell a consistent story.

We reconcile the activities with the associated expenditures, identify gaps or inconsistencies, and address questions before the claim is finalised.

We then prepare the required technical descriptions, financial calculations and supporting claim forms, working with your accountant or tax preparer to ensure the claim is incorporated into the appropriate filing.

The result is a coherent, evidence-based claim that accurately reflects the eligible work and expenditures, and can be explained and supported if reviewed by the relevant authorities.

What does working with us look like?

We begin with a conversation about your business, its R&D activities, any previous claims and the relevant filing deadlines.

From there, we agree on the level of assistance you need and develop a practical approach to gathering and assessing the information.

Typically, we work with two groups within your organisation.

Your technical team

We meet with the engineers, developers, scientists or other personnel who understand the work. Through focused discussions and examination of existing records, we establish what was attempted, what challenges arose and what was accomplished.

Your finance team

We work with the people responsible for your financial records to identify relevant expenditures, understand how costs are recorded and establish the connection between those costs and the eligible activities.

We then bring the technical and financial information together, review the important judgements with your team and prepare the claim for filing.

We recognise that your staff have businesses to run and projects to deliver. Our job is to obtain the relevant information efficiently, without expecting them to become tax specialists.

That is why the process is tailored to your circumstances. Some businesses need comprehensive assistance; others need support with a few particularly difficult issues.

Either way, you'll understand what we're doing, why we're doing it and what we need from you.

Looking beyond this year's claim

Preparing a claim becomes considerably easier when potential R&D activities and related expenditures are recognised while the work is taking place.

Some businesses already have excellent development records and cost-tracking systems. Others operate in environments where the information is less readily available.

We can help your team develop practical approaches to identifying eligible activities, documenting technical progress and tracking expenditures.

The objective is to avoid unnecessary administration, make better use of the information your business already generates and ensure important evidence isn't lost.

Over time, that can mean more efficient claim preparation, stronger supporting records and greater confidence in the amounts claimed.