Many Canadian firms are not aware that they can finance their SR ED tax credit claims . Lets backtrack a little bit . The SR ED Tax credit program is a Canadian government program which allows Canadian privately controlled firms to recoup a very large amount of direct and indirect expenses related to their innovative business processes, research and development, and asset acquisition related to those very efforts .
Thousands of Canadian firms file such claims and the program has disbursed close to 2 Billion dollars annually to Canadian firms .
Funds received from the government, while taxable , are NOT repayable , we repeat, NOT repayable ! Claims are generally prepared by one of two parties, either the firms accountants, or , more frequently, an independent SR ED preparation firm who are experienced in the writing of these claims, and have amassed expertise and bench strength in that customers particular industry . We note also there is a growing SRED industry around film and TV credits, digital media, and gaming .
We are continually amazed at the number of companies who are eligible for the program but in fact have never heard of the program . You can imagine the expression on the business owners faces when they are told they have been eligible for the program for years, and have in fact relinquished their rights to these funds .
As a technical matter companies can only claim funds for the last 2 years of r&d, business process development, etc . Furthermore the claims have to be file at the same time the firm files it's annual tax returns .
Let's get back to the financing of the claim !
The financing of the claims is in effect a temporary loan against the SR ED claim , allowing the company to monetize immediately the incoming cash flow related to the SR ED claim . One of the key factors around the financing of the claim is the size . Generally speaking it makes sense to finance claims that are in excess of $200,000.00.
However, realistically many smaller Canadian firms file claims significantly below that amount . While these claims are somewhat more difficult to finance it certainly can and does makes sense in many instances . Our firm has worked with many customers who view the claim as one of their most signficant cash inflows during that year . Typically it takes between two - four weeks to arrange for a proper financing of the claim . Proper due diligence around the general financial health and prospects of the firm is done, and typical credit assessment is done around the lenders ability to properly secure the claim vis a vis a collateralized registration against the claim .
Loans against the claim are typically made at approximately 70% of the total of the combined federal and provincial claim . Why 70% ? A safety buffer is in fact created in the event that the claim is adjudicated by the government and a portion of the claim is downsized or disallowed . We have noted that this happens when customers or their consultants file claims that are too aggressive . The customers mentality seems to be ' I will file a claim for $300,00.00 , if they knock it back a bit I will still get more funds than originally intended '. In general this is probably not a good strategy .
In summary :
* Companies should file claims if they are eligible
* If cash flow and working capital is important the SR ED claim can be financing
* Customer should use their accountants and financial advisor to originate proper financing of the claim
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