If your company is claiming SR&ED tax credits, you're already ahead of many Canadian businesses. But are you claiming everything you're entitled to? Here are five proven strategies to maximize your SR&ED refunds.
1. Track R&D Activities Year-Round
One of the biggest mistakes companies make is treating SR&ED as a year-end exercise. By the time you're preparing your claim, important details have been forgotten.
Best Practice: Implement continuous tracking of R&D activities. This can be as simple as:
- Weekly R&D activity logs
- Project-specific time tracking
- Regular documentation of technical challenges and solutions
Modern tools can automate much of this, integrating with your existing workflows to capture R&D activities in real-time.
2. Expand Your Definition of "R&D"
Many companies have a narrow view of what constitutes SR&ED-eligible R&D. They think of lab work or major product development initiatives, missing smaller but qualifying activities.
Activities often overlooked include:
- Performance optimization efforts
- Security improvements involving technical uncertainty
- Integration challenges with third-party systems
- Scaling issues requiring novel solutions
- Failed experiments (yes, these count too!)
If work involved technological uncertainty and systematic investigation, it might qualify — regardless of whether it succeeded.
3. Document Technical Uncertainty
The CRA requires demonstration of "technological uncertainty" — the idea that achieving your objective couldn't be done using standard practice or readily available knowledge.
Strong documentation includes:
- What you were trying to achieve
- Why existing solutions didn't work
- What alternatives you investigated
- The technical challenges you encountered
- How you resolved them (or why you couldn't)
Pro tip: Document uncertainties at the start of a project, not just the solutions at the end. This creates a clearer narrative for the CRA.
4. Properly Allocate Employee Time
Salaries typically make up 80%+ of SR&ED claims. Yet many companies under-claim because they don't properly allocate employee time to R&D activities.
Strategies for better time allocation:
- Use project codes that distinguish R&D from non-R&D work
- Train employees to recognize SR&ED-eligible activities
- Review time allocations quarterly to catch underreported R&D
- Include time for planning, testing, and iteration — not just coding
Remember: supporting activities (testing, documentation, data collection) that are directly related to SR&ED work are also eligible.
5. Don't Forget Overhead and Materials
Beyond salaries, SR&ED claims can include:
- Materials consumed: Components, supplies, and materials used in R&D
- Contractor costs: Payments to third parties for R&D work in Canada
- Overhead: A portion of rent, utilities, and other expenses related to R&D
The proxy method allows you to claim 55% of labor costs as overhead automatically, but depending on your situation, the traditional method might yield higher claims.
Bonus: Leverage Expert Review
Even with perfect documentation, the nuances of SR&ED can be tricky. A claim that seems straightforward might be missing key elements that maximize value — or include red flags that trigger audits.
Working with SR&ED experts (or AI-powered tools trained on thousands of successful claims) can help you:
- Identify additional eligible activities
- Strengthen technical narratives
- Avoid common audit triggers
- Ensure compliance with current CRA guidelines
Taking Action
Maximizing your SR&ED claim isn't about gaming the system — it's about ensuring you claim every dollar you're legitimately entitled to. With proper tracking, expanded awareness, and strong documentation, most companies can significantly increase their refunds.
Start implementing these strategies today, and your next SR&ED claim could be your best one yet.
Want personalized advice on maximizing your SR&ED claims? Our experts are here to help. Book a free consultation to review your current approach.