The R&D tax credit
Reduces your tax bill, dollar for dollar. A $10,000 R&D credit saves you $10,000.
$10,000 credit = $10,000 saved
R&D Tax Credit Service
You don’t need a laboratory to qualify for the R&D (Research & Development) tax credit. If you’re improving processes, developing prototypes, or solving technical challenges in your work, you may already be doing work that qualifies.
Our strategic tax planning helps business owners in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and nationwide find thousands in tax savings.
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Direct Cash Back for Your Business
Most business owners hear “R&D tax credit” and assume it's for startups or pharmaceutical companies. It’s not. It was designed for exactly the kind of work you’re already doing, and the payoff is bigger than most people expect.
A tax deduction
Reduces your taxable income. In a 25% tax bracket, a $10,000 deduction saves you $2,500.
$10,000 deduction = $2,500 saved
The IRS uses four questions to determine whether your work qualifies. If you can say “yes” to all four, we can help you build a credit.
1
Was there a technological uncertainty? You didn’t know for certain that your process, product, or design would work the way you intended.
2
Did you experiment? You tried different approaches or refined your method to reach the result.
3
Was it technical in nature? Your process relied on engineering, physical science, or computer science.
4
Was the goal to improve a product or process? You were trying to make something work better, faster, cheaper, or more efficiently.
“We'd been leaving R&D credits on the table for years because our old accountant never brought it up. Cultivate found them, and their WIP reporting means I actually know our margins on a job before it closes instead of guessing until year-end.”
Does Your Industry Qualify?
We specialize in uncovering R&D credits across four industries. We regularly find qualifying activities that clients had no idea were eligible. Find your industry below to see what might apply to your business.
Construction
- Designing unique structural solutions for difficult or non-standard sites
- Engineering custom formwork, load calculations, or foundation systems
- Testing new green or sustainable building materials and methods
- Developing custom BIM workflows for complex project management
Manufacturing
- Re-engineering production lines for greater speed or efficiency
- Creating custom molds or tooling for new product runs
- Prototyping new products before committing to full-scale manufacturing
- Implementing process automation or new quality control systems
Real Estate (Development)
- Designing energy-efficient HVAC systems or high-performance building envelopes
- Developing smart-building technology integrations for new developments
- Testing environmental remediation approaches for development sites
- Engineering modular or prefabricated construction methods
Retail & Hospitality
- Building proprietary e-commerce platforms or custom POS integrations
- Developing unique food preparation or preservation processes
- Creating custom inventory management or order fulfillment workflows
- Engineering automated kitchen or back-of-house systems
We Do the Work. You Collect the Credit.
Claiming the R&D credit requires documentation for the IRS. Our tax consulting team handles every step of the process, from identifying what qualifies to making sure you could stand behind the credit in an audit. You focus on your business while we handle the heavy lifting.
1
The assessment
We start by reviewing your operations to identify every activity that clears the IRS’s four-part test. We look at what your team does. Most clients are surprised by how much work qualifies.
2
The math
We calculate your Qualified Research Expenses (employee wages, supply costs, contract research) that the IRS allows you to count toward the credit. The size of your credit depends on the accuracy of these numbers. This is where clean books pay off.
3
The documentation
We write the technical reports the IRS requires to support your claim, and the result is a complete audit defense bundle. If your credit is ever questioned, you’ll have everything you need to back it up.
A Bigger Credit Starts With Better Books
To maximize your credit, your entire financial ecosystem needs to be working together. Three of our services have a direct relationship to the size of your R&D credit.
Tax planning & strategy
We look ahead to see how your credit can be applied across your entities, timed against your other tax liabilities, and directed toward your cash flow or retirement goals.
Explore tax planning & strategyInventory costing & valuation
Raw materials and supplies used during qualifying R&D activity count toward your Qualified Research Expenses. We build the inventory costing and WIP reporting systems that capture those costs, so every dollar of qualifying material makes it into your claim.
Explore inventory costing & valuationHR services & support
Employee wages are typically the largest component of an R&D claim. That means your payroll records are the financial backbone of your documentation. As HR consultants, we track the qualifying time your team spends on eligible work.
Explore HR services & supportStop Leaving Money on the Table. Let’s Build Your Credit.
Schedule a brief discovery session (no prep required) to find out if your recent projects qualify for the R&D tax credit. Most business owners wish they would’ve called sooner.
Disclaimer: This is not tax advice. Businesses should consult with their tax advisor to determine eligibility and applicable regulations.
