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§41 R&D Credit + §174 Capitalization Optimization

R&D credit worth 6–10% of qualifying wages — payroll-tax offset for startups <5 yrs old.

Overview

The IRC §41 R&D Credit rewards businesses developing new products, processes, software, or techniques. Credit = ~6.5% of qualifying R&D wages, contract research (65%), and supplies. Startups <5 yrs old with <$5M revenue can apply up to $500K/yr against payroll tax (Form 8974) — real cash refund even at a loss. Post-TCJA §174 requires capitalizing R&D over 5 yrs (15 yrs foreign) instead of expensing — increases current tax but preserves the credit. Study cost $5K–$25K; typical credit $30K–$500K/yr.

Best fit
SaaS/tech developersManufacturers improving processesStartups <5 yrs old with payroll
Estimated impact
$30K–$500K/yr credit + payroll-tax offset

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