If I Wanted to Claim My Startup's R&D Tax Credit in 2026, I'd Do This - Episode 05

How to Claim the R&D Tax Credit for Your Startup in 2026 (Step-by-Step + Avoid Costly Mistakes)The episode explains how an early-stage engineering startup can claim the R&D tax credit in 2026 and set up a repeatable process to capture it every year. It emphasizes starting by understanding the business and mapping day-to-day work to the IRS definition, then listing projects in plain English, reviewing the team (W-2 vs contractors, U.S. location rules, and supplies), and pulling basic financial data like W-2 Box 1 wages and rosters. The study itself involves a technical interview to apply the IRS four-part test (technical purpose, uncertainty, experimentation, and improvement) plus calculating the credit, often 7–10% of qualified spend. A space tech example shows how proper CPA coordination led to $187k federal and $100k state benefits. The script warns the payroll tax election window is only the first five years and urges ongoing quarterly documentation.