Tax Credits
Help identifying, documenting, and claiming the federal and state tax credits and incentives your business may already qualify for.
Overview
Many businesses qualify for tax credits and incentives they never claim, often because the activity that qualifies does not look like what the credit’s name suggests. Manufacturers improving processes, software teams iterating on products, and companies investing in buildings or hiring can all have qualifying activity. We help identify which federal and state credits may apply, quantify them, and build the documentation needed to support the claim if it is examined.
Our work covers the IRC Section 41 research credit, employment-related credits, energy-related incentives such as Section 179D and Section 45L, and state-level credits and incentive programs. Because credit rules change with legislation, we also track eligibility windows and help you evaluate amended-return or look-back opportunities for prior years. This page addresses general business credits; film and production incentives are covered on our motion picture tax credits page.
How We Help With Tax Credits
R&D Tax Credit Studies
Identifying qualified research activities and expenses under IRC Section 41, applying the statutory tests, and preparing the calculations and contemporaneous documentation that support the credit.
Credit Opportunity Reviews
A review of your operations, investments, and hiring to identify federal and state credits and incentives that may apply, including opportunities in open prior years.
Energy-Related Incentives
Evaluating eligibility for energy-efficiency incentives such as the Section 179D deduction and Section 45L credit, including how recent legislative cutoffs affect specific projects and whether earlier projects may still qualify.
Employment Credits
Helping assess employment-related credits such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, tracking its current authorization status, and setting up screening and documentation processes where it applies.
State Credits and Incentives
Identifying state credits tied to investment, job creation, research, and other activity, and coordinating credit claims and any required applications with your state income or franchise tax filings.
Documentation and Exam Support
Building the records needed to substantiate credits and supporting you if the IRS or a state taxing authority later requests information about or examines a claim.
Challenges We Help You Address
- ✓Not knowing which credits your activities or investments may qualify for
- ✓Thin documentation that makes credit claims harder to defend
- ✓Changing eligibility windows as credits are modified or allowed to lapse
- ✓Missed credits in prior years that may still be recoverable
- ✓Coordinating federal credits with state filings and other tax positions
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies for the R&D tax credit?
The IRC Section 41 research credit generally applies to activities intended to develop or improve a product, process, software, or formula where there is technical uncertainty and the work relies on engineering, computer science, or physical or biological sciences. The work must involve a process of experimentation. Qualified expenses typically include wages, supplies, and a portion of contract research costs. Many industries beyond technology have qualifying activity.
Can I still claim the 179D deduction or 45L credit?
Recent federal legislation set cutoffs for both incentives. Section 179D does not apply to property whose construction begins after June 30, 2026, and the Section 45L credit does not apply to homes acquired after that date. Qualifying projects that meet the applicable test before the cutoff may still be eligible, and earlier projects may present amended-return opportunities. Eligibility depends on project-specific facts, so each project should be reviewed individually.
Is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit still available?
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit was authorized for eligible employees who began work on or before December 31, 2025, and as of this writing Congress had not enacted an extension. Credits for qualifying hires made before that date can still be claimed. Because the credit has been extended retroactively after past lapses, some employers continue screening new hires. Check its current status before relying on it.
How is this different from film and motion picture tax credits?
This page covers general business credits and incentives, such as the research credit, employment credits, energy-related incentives, and state business credits. Film and television production incentives operate under separate state programs with their own qualification, spending, and certification rules. Those are covered on our motion picture tax credits page, which focuses on production companies and the specific requirements of those programs.
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