Most companies leave hundreds of thousands on the table in unclaimed R&D tax credits. CreditLabs finds every dollar you're owed — and you pay nothing until we do.
No disruption to your operations. We handle the complexity so you don't have to.
Tell us about your business. In 24 hours we'll confirm whether you qualify and estimate your potential credit — at zero cost.
Our R&D tax credit specialists build a fully defensible R&D tax credit study — documenting qualifying activities, expenditures, and calculations to IRS standards.
File with confidence. Every study includes full audit defense — if the IRS ever asks questions, our team handles it at no additional cost.
Many companies avoid R&D credits out of fear that filing will trigger an audit. The data tells a very different story — and we've got you covered either way.
Every CreditLabs study is prepared by R&D tax credit experts and includes complete audit defense at no extra charge. If the IRS questions your credit, our team steps in and handles the entire process — documentation, correspondence, and representation. You don't lift a finger.
Fewer than 1 in 200 returns are audited. For small businesses under $400K revenue, the rate is even lower.
Filing for the R&D credit does not automatically flag your return. The audit rate for R&D claimants is consistent with the general population when studies are properly documented.
Unused credits can be carried forward for up to 20 years. Even if you're not profitable yet, the credits don't expire.
Under IRC Section 41, a project qualifies for the R&D tax credit if it meets all four parts of the following test. The bar is much lower than most people think.
The activity must aim to create a new — or improve an existing — product, process, software, technique, formula, or invention.
The work must rely on principles of engineering, physics, biology, chemistry, or computer science. You don't need a lab — applied science counts.
At the start of the project, there must be uncertainty about the method, capability, or design. If the outcome was guaranteed, it's not R&D.
You must evaluate alternatives through modeling, simulation, systematic trial and error, or other testing. Documenting what you tried (and what failed) is key.
This is why R&D credits apply to far more industries than most people expect. You don't need a patent. You don't need a lab. You just need to have faced a technical challenge and worked to solve it.
Every industry below passes the Four-Part Test. Here's how.
Developing new production methods, improving tooling, automating assembly lines, or refining material formulations all count as qualifying R&D.
Process optimization, prototyping, custom tooling design, quality improvement initiatives
Building new features, improving system architecture, developing algorithms, or creating internal tools — your dev team is generating credits.
New product development, platform migrations, API integrations, performance optimization
Innovative building techniques, structural design challenges, environmental compliance solutions, and custom fabrication are all eligible.
Design-build projects, structural problem-solving, sustainable methods, BIM development
Clinical trials, drug formulation, medical device development, and laboratory process improvements are core qualifying activities.
Clinical research, compound testing, regulatory compliance development, lab automation
New recipe development, shelf-life testing, packaging innovation, and production scaling efforts qualify under Section 41.
Product formulation, nutritional optimization, process scaling, quality assurance testing
Designing energy-efficient buildings, developing new structural systems, and integrating smart building technologies all count as R&D.
Sustainable design, structural innovation, computational design, new material application
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