SR&ED tax credit program

What is SR&ED

SR&ED stands for Scientific Research and Experimental Development. And if you want to get tax benefits for doing R&D in Canada, you should know about the SR&ED tax credit program.

Our guest expert, Jude Brown, CEO & Co-Founder of Bloom Technical, explains what the program is, how to qualify, and what you need to do to apply.

The SR&ED tax credit program rewards Canadian businesses for doing innovative and risky work in their fields. The CRA runs the SR&ED tax credit program, and it gives you tax credits, refunds, and deductions for your R&D expenses. But only some businesses can qualify for the program.

How Do I Apply for the SR&ED tax credit program?

You need to meet some criteria to be eligible. Here are the main ones:

  • You must be a CCPC, a Canadian partnership, a sole proprietorship, or a trust. CCPCs get the most benefits from the program.
  • You must do scientific research or experimental development to create new or improved products, processes, materials, or knowledge.
  • You must face technical risk, meaning you don’t know if your work will succeed or fail. You must demonstrate your project iterations.
  • You must keep proper records of your R&D activities, including what you did, how you did it, and what you learned.

To apply, you need to fill out Form T661 and submit it with your tax return. This form asks you to describe your R&D activities in detail and report your expenses and outcomes.

This can be tricky and time-consuming, so getting help from a professional SR&ED consultant is best. They can help you prepare your application and maximize your benefits.

How Big Could My SR&ED Claim Be?

The size of your tax benefits depends on your business type, income, and tax rate. The CRA has different formulas for each factor. The more you spend on eligible R&D expenses, the more you can claim. But there are limits and rules to follow.

Eligible R&D expenses include:

  • Salaries or wages of the employees who worked on the R&D project
  • Contractor fees for the arm’s length parties who performed R&D on your behalf
  • Materials that were consumed or transformed during the R&D project

Some expenses are not eligible for SR&ED, such as capital, overhead, and marketing costs. You also need to prove that your R&D expenses are reasonable and related to your industry. In BC, businesses can expect to get about 64% back from eligible SR&ED expenses.

To get an accurate estimate of how much you can get from SR&ED, contact us today, and we can put you in touch with a SR&ED professional. You can also find extensive information on the program through the CRA.

Disclaimer: Avisar Chartered Professional Accountant’s blog deals with a number of complex issues in a concise manner; it is recommended that accounting, legal or other appropriate professional advice should be sought before acting upon any of the information contained therein. Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this post, no individual or organization involved in either the preparation or distribution of this post accepts any contractual, tortious, or any other form of liability for its contents or for any consequences arising from its use.