Frequently asked questions

Fees vary widely. Contingent fees are commonly quoted as a percentage of the benefit, while fixed and hourly fees are also used, sometimes in combination. The fee model shapes the advice you receive, so understand what you are being offered. Independent guidance is published by knowyourfees.org, part of our network.

How the fee is calculated and what it amounts to in money; whether review support is included; what happens to the fee if the claim is reduced or repaid; who does the technical work; whether your own technical staff will approve the narrative before filing; and whether the advisor will be named on the claim where the tax authority asks for it.

It depends on the jurisdiction and the professional body the advisor belongs to. In the United States, for example, both Treasury rules and the AICPA code restrict contingent fees for return preparation and refund claims, with exceptions and a court decision limiting how far the Treasury rule can be enforced. Ask your advisor which rules apply to them.

Keep contemporaneous records that show what uncertainty you faced, what you tried, who worked on it and for how long, and what it cost. Time records, technical notes, test results, tickets and project plans are all useful. The most valuable single document is a dated note written at the start of the project describing what was not yet known.

Many companies do, particularly once they understand the scheme and have a documentation routine. Others keep identification and evidence in-house and use an advisor for calculation, filing or review support. The in-house finance team program covers how to decide what to keep internal.

An R&D tax incentive (a credit, offset, deduction or relief, depending on the country) is a government scheme that reduces the tax a company pays, or provides a cash payment, when the company spends money on qualifying research and development. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and Ireland each run their own version with different rules, rates and administration.

No. Qualifying R&D happens in manufacturing, software, engineering, food, construction, agriculture and many other sectors. What matters is whether the work sought to resolve a scientific or technological uncertainty through systematic work, not the industry label.

No. The Academy is an education provider. We teach companies, finance teams and tax professionals how the schemes work and how to prepare claims properly, but we do not prepare, review or sign claims, and we do not recommend particular advisors.

No. Everything here is educational material. Rules change frequently and the outcome depends on your facts. Take advice on your own position from a qualified professional before relying on any general guidance, including ours.

They are sister initiatives in the same network as the Academy. knowyourfees.org publishes independent guidance on advisory fee structures for R&D claims. researchcreditintegrity.org promotes rigour and integrity in R&D incentive claims. Where a topic touches on fees or claim quality, we point to them.

Swanson Reed is a specialist R&D tax advisory firm and a partner of the Academy. The Academy remains independent in its curriculum, does not prepare claims, and does not steer learners toward any particular provider. Partnership never changes what we teach.

Programs are designed for companies that claim, in-house finance and tax teams, tax professionals and accountants, and R&D advisors. Each program states its intended audience and country focus, so you can start from your role or from the jurisdiction you claim under.

Use the Register interest form on the contact page or email hello@rdtaxacademy.com. Tell us your role, your jurisdiction and, if you know it, the program you are interested in. We follow up by email with dates and details. No payment is taken online.

Programs are built as written modules you work through at your own pace. There are no scheduled sessions. Each program page lists its modules, and you can register interest to hear when a program opens for your country.