R&D Tax Credit
R&D Tax Credit Services
The federal R&D credit gives you a dollar-for-dollar reduction in tax for developing or improving products, software, and processes. You don't need a lab to qualify. If your team is solving engineering or technical challenges, you may already be performing qualifying research. Acena helps companies identify, calculate, and document those credits properly, so you can claim what's available with confidence.
10+ year client relationships
10+ industries trusted by
IRS-compliant documentation
Works alongside your existing CPA
Why Businesses Bring in Acena
Your CPA is an important part of the process, but claiming the R&D tax credit requires specialized technical analysis and documentation. That's where we come in. We identify qualifying work, calculate your credit, prepare the supporting documentation, and coordinate directly with your CPA so the claim is complete, accurate, and defensible.
What Qualifies for the R&D Tax Credit?
Qualifying research is more common than most business owners realize. It can include developing new products, improving existing ones, building or enhancing software, refining manufacturing processes, testing new materials or formulas, and solving complex engineering challenges. If your team is working through technical uncertainty to improve how something performs, there's a good chance that work qualifies.
Qualified research expenses may include employee wages, certain supplies, and eligible contract research costs. If you're unsure where routine work ends and qualifying research begins, we'll help you make that distinction.
Startups Qualify Too, Even Before You Are Profitable
Many startups assume the R&D tax credit is only available to established companies with taxable income. In reality, innovative early-stage businesses are often among the strongest candidates. Qualified small businesses can apply the credit against the employer portion of payroll taxes, up to $500,000 annually, creating valuable cash flow while the business continues to grow. Many startups assume they're too early to qualify. In reality, they're often some of the strongest candidates because innovation is built into their day-to-day work.
Qualifications:
Less than $5 million in gross receipts for the year
Gross receipts for five years or less
Our Process
How We Help
Claiming the R&D tax credit involves more than identifying qualifying work. It requires technical analysis, accurate calculations, thorough documentation, and coordination with your tax filing. Our specialists handle the technical work so your team doesn't have to.
Initial consultation to understand your projects
Document request and technical interviews
Credit calculation and supporting documentation
Coordination with your CPA through filing
20+ Years of Client Relationships
Real Results. Long-Term Partnerships.
The best measure of our work is the relationships we've built and the results our clients continue to receive.
"They're top notch. Very supportive, very knowledgeable."
"It was a great tax credit. A lot of work, but worth it."
