R&D tax credits for growth-stage companies

You're probably eligible for R&D credits.
Most companies still miss them.

TaxTaker helps founders and finance teams claim defensible R&D tax credits, cleanly, conservatively, and in sync with your CPA. Keep more cash without creating audit risk.

Audit ready documentation

CPA friendly process

Clear scope and fees

Recent client outcomes

Examples of annual credits or savings from prior claims.

AI company

$275,000

SaaS platform

$78,000

Robotics firm

$212,000

We've secured over $100M+ for our clients. Are you next?

You're in the right place if...

You pay engineers or technical contractors

You build software or proprietary technology

You want to keep your CPA involved

You care about compliance and documentation

You want a specialist to handle the credit correctly

You do not want to over pay for your credit

Billions in Credits Go Unclaimed

Why R&D credits get missed

Conservative, audit ready documentation

Built to work alongside your CPA

Fast qualification before you invest time

TaxTaker helps founders and finance teams claim defensible R&D tax credits, cleanly, conservatively, and in sync with your CPA. Keep more cash without creating audit risk.

Fix with a specialist process →

1

Assuming it's included in tax filing

Common

Companies assume that if they have a CPA, everything is covered. However, specialty incentives should always be brought up.

2

Fear of being too aggressive

Costly

Founders want certainty. Without a clear undederstanding, they claim nothing by default.

3

Bad prior experiences

Avoidable

Some studies are rushed or overly marketed. That creates skepticism even when eligibility is obvious.

Everything you need to claim R&D credits, end to end.

Most firms charge for each phase. TaxTaker bundles the full workflow so your CPA gets clean, audit ready deliverables.

Eligibility and strategy

$10k to $20k value

Clear fit, magnitude, and timing guidance with CPA coordination.

Technical R&D study

$25k to $60k value

Project scoping, interviews, and conservative calculation methodology.

Tax execution support

$15k to $30k value

Forms and memos your CPA can file confidently, plus substantiation.

Ongoing optimization

$20k per year value

Multi year planning and credit strategy as the business scales.

Many clients recover $50k to $500k or more per year. Fees are transparent and aligned to value.

Check R&D eligibility

What clients say after claiming R&D credits

Our clients love our simple process designed to reduce disruption and increase confidence.

Stars

Amazing customer service. Appreciate the diligence around taxes and helping us receive additional credits.

Kevin Moriarty
Kevin Moriarty
Chive Media Group
Stars

Great team to work with all around!

Cruz Sierra
Cruz Sierra
Epoc
Stars

I had a great experience working with the Taxtaker team especially Maggie Hensley. They were able to answer all my questions and guide me on how to do things.

Hassan Ibrahim
Hassan Ibrahim
Tough Leaf
Stars

They rock! So attentive and helpful. They found us 35k, what's not to love.

Alison Wiser
Alison Wiser
Wiser Wellness
Stars

The team is amazing to work with! Fast & super efficient!

Leela Suppiah
Leela Suppiah
DataStream Cyber Insurance
Stars

TaxTaker is responsive, knowledgable, creative, and helpful.

Steve Barrows
Steve Barrows
Crosswalk Labs
Stars

The process was very efficient and the team did a great job explaining the process and executing the project.

Trevor Cook
Trevor Cook
Sirvatus
Stars

Easy to work with, very friendly staff, clear expectations of us, good value.

Randy Berridge
Randy Berridge
Industrial Resolution
Stars

Working with TaxTaker has been great for us. They were efficient and effective and got us great results. Couldn't ask for a better partner!

Ermelinda Kraft
Ermelinda Kraft
WayWiser
Stars

The TaxTaker team makes the R&D tax credit process really easy, which is something that's very important given any external-driven process can be more difficult to impact or navigate through. The communication, between timeline, expectations, and results, is excellent. And I truly enjoy the people. Everyone involved is nice to work with - personable while professional and engaging.

Joel Hamann
Joel Hamann
Spot Insurance
Stars

The team at TaxTaker is amazing. At each step from introduction to tax filing, they provided us exactly what we needed and took up very little of our time. All rapidly growing technology companies should contact TaxTaker. You will be very happy you did.

Richard MacWilliams
Richard MacWilliams
COO, TPN Health
Stars

As a Founder and CEO, my bandwidth is limited but cash is king. I appreciate that TaxTaker makes the tax credit process simple and low maintenance. The payroll integration is a great service and the platform is quick and easy. It's great to access the credit and manage cash flow.

Mark Begert
Mark Begert
Founder & CEO, Fabulingua
Stars

The process with the team was super easy, and they were diligent about staying on top of our refund with the IRS, which ultimately returned over $100k to my company. Thank you so much for your help!

Megan Strout
Megan Strout
Founder & CEO, Tack Advisors

Outcome

What changes once R&D is handled correctly?

Most companies do real qualifying work. The credit still gets missed because no one owns the process.

Less tax drag

More runway

Credits can reduce payroll or income tax exposure.

Cleaner filing

Less risk

Documentation your CPA can stand behind.

Conservative documentation that holds up under review.

Clarity

You know what qualifies and what the credit range looks like.

See eligibility in minutes →

Cash flow

You know what qualifies and what the credit range looks like.

See eligibility in minutes →

Confidence

Your CPA files with substantiation that is organized and defensible.

See eligibility in minutes →

Leverage

R&D credits become a repeatable planning lever as you scale.

See eligibility in minutes →

Curious if you are missing out on credits?

Start with a quick eligibility check. If it looks promising, we move to a light info request and one technical interview.

Please check your inbox for more information.
Thank you for your interest in TaxTaker!
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No pressure. CPA friendly.

Want to know if you are leaving credits unclaimed

Start with a quick eligibility check. If it looks promising, we move to a light info request and one technical interview.

Please check your inbox for more information.
Thank you for your interest in TaxTaker!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

No pressure. CPA friendly.

Additional incentives we support

R&D is our core focus. These are additive when timing is right.

Section 179D

Energy efficient commercial building deduction support when relevant for your projects.

Texas film credits

Guidance for film and media productions pursuing Texas incentives.

Energy incentives

Additional federal and local incentives related to energy and construction.

Frequently asked questions

No hard sell, ever. We only want to work with you if it's a fit.

What Is The R&D Tax Credit?

The Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credit is a federal incentive that rewards companies for developing new or improved products, software, processes, or technologies. Businesses can reduce their tax liability based on qualified research expenses such as engineering wages, contractor costs, and development materials.

The credit is governed by Internal Revenue Code Section 41 and administered by the IRS.

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/research-credit

Do Startups Qualify For The R&D Tax Credit?

Yes. Startups can claim the R&D tax credit even if they are not profitable.

Qualified startups may apply the credit against payroll taxes instead of income taxes. This allows companies to offset employer payroll tax liability for several years while they are still investing heavily in product development.

This provision was created to help early-stage companies reinvest in innovation.

What Activities Qualify As R&D For Tax Purposes?

Activities typically qualify for the R&D tax credit if they involve:

• Developing or improving software, products, or manufacturing processes
• Solving technical challenges or engineering uncertainty
• Designing prototypes or testing new concepts
• Conducting experimentation to improve performance or functionality

The IRS evaluates qualifying work using a four-part test that measures technological uncertainty and experimentation.

What Expenses Qualify For The R&D Credit?

Qualified Research Expenses (QREs) typically include:

• Wages for engineers, developers, and technical employees
• Payments to technical contractors performing research
• Materials used in prototype development or testing
• Certain cloud computing costs used in development

These costs must be directly connected to qualifying research activities.

Do Software Companies Qualify For R&D Tax Credits?

Yes. Companies can usually claim missed R&D credits for up to three prior tax years by amending their tax returns.

Many businesses discover they qualified for credits years before they first claimed them.

Does Claiming The R&D Credit Increase Audit Risk?

No. The R&D tax credit is a permanent part of the U.S. tax code.

However, the IRS requires proper documentation of qualifying projects and expenses. Working with specialists helps ensure the credit is calculated and documented correctly. If you amend your tax return to include the R&D tax credit, a review of the incentive should be expected.

Why Do Companies Work With Specialists For R&D Credits?

The R&D credit requires both tax expertise and technical evaluation of engineering or development work.

Most accounting firms do not conduct detailed technical interviews, project analysis, or documentation required for a defensible claim. Specialized firms help identify qualifying activities, calculate credits, and prepare documentation for tax filings.

Do Software Companies Qualify For R&D Tax Credits?

Yes. Software companies frequently qualify for the R&D credit.

Activities such as building new software products, developing algorithms, improving system architecture, or creating new platform features may qualify if the work involves technical experimentation or engineering challenges.

SaaS companies, AI companies, and technology startups often generate significant credits.

What Is The 179D Energy Efficient Building Deduction?

Section 179D is a federal tax deduction that rewards energy-efficient commercial buildings.

Building owners or designers can receive deductions when improvements to lighting, HVAC systems, or the building envelope reduce energy consumption compared to baseline standards.

IRS guidance can be found here.

What Is The Texas Film Incentive Program (TMIIIP)?

The Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP) provides cash rebates to qualifying productions that spend money in Texas.

Eligible projects include film, television, commercials, animation, and video game development. Productions can receive a percentage of qualified Texas spending back as a rebate.

Official information is available through the Texas Film Commission.

Request eligibility check