How the R&D credit applies to Lakewood Ranch businesses
The federal R&D tax credit rewards work that tries to solve a technical problem through design and testing. Lakewood Ranch companies in manufacturing, medical device and life sciences, engineering and software often do this as part of everyday product work.
Lakewood Ranch sits across Manatee and Sarasota counties, but the credit is federal, so the county does not change the rules. Many companies here are S corporations or LLCs, so the credit passes through to the owners and your CPA files it with the return.
Work we often see around Lakewood Ranch
Manufacturers: new products, tooling and process improvements
Medical device and life sciences: device design, prototyping, testing and process development
Engineering and architecture: custom designs and simulation
Software and technology: product features, automation and data systems
Work that often qualifies
Developing a new product or a new version of an existing one
Prototyping and bench testing a device or component
Improving a process to raise quality or cut scrap
Designing custom equipment or tooling in house
Building software that supports a new product or process
Work that usually does not
Routine quality checks on a finished design
Regulatory paperwork that does not involve design or testing work
Cosmetic changes to packaging or branding
Costs that count
Wages for the people doing the work, supplies used in testing and a share of outside contractor costs can count when they tie to a qualifying project. We match each cost to a project so your CPA has a file that holds up if the IRS asks.
What to bring to a screening
A list of products or projects started in the last few years
Who worked on each project and about how much time they spent
Test records, design files or lab notes
Payroll totals and supply costs tied to the projects
Based in nearby Sarasota, we work with Lakewood Ranch and the rest of the area, and with businesses elsewhere in Florida and the United States.
Find out what your work has earned
Free 5 to 10 minute screening. See which of your projects can earn a credit.
Why us
Why businesses choose Strategic Incentive
We are a Sarasota firm that pairs R&D credit specialists with a practicing CPA, so every study is built for the return it feeds.
A CPA partner behind every study
A practicing CPA is part of our team, so the work is built for the return it feeds.
Project-level documentation
Each qualifying project is documented on its own, not covered by boilerplate.
An audit-ready file
Your CPA gets the calculations, narratives and records in one organized package.
How it works
How a study works
Four steps from the first screening to a filed, audit-ready claim.
1
Free screening
A 5 to 10 minute screening based on the IRS four-part test. We review your answers and estimate whether a credit is likely.
2
Discovery interview
A guided conversation and a questionnaire built for your business document each qualifying project.
3
Calculation
We calculate the credit and prepare Form 6765 support, project narratives and employee time allocations.
4
CPA hand-off
We work with your CPA or tax preparer and hand over an audit-ready package. If the IRS asks questions, we respond.
FAQ
Common questions
Straight answers before you start a screening.