FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. 1. Why didn't my accountant tell me about the SR&ED program?
A. Your accountant may not have known that you are eligible. Furthermore, he may not have the expertise to prepare a complicated SR&ED claim. Any credible accountant, however, will attest to the legitimacy of the program, when asked.

Q. 2. Why didn't the government tell me about the SR&ED program?
A. The government will not fill out your tax return for you, or make an effort to inform businesses that they have unwittingly over-paid their taxes. However, the program is not hidden. We do direct potential clients to the official CRA website where they can learn about the legitimacy of the program, and even attend a free government-sponsored seminar on the topic.

Q. 3. Will this trigger an audit?
A. You are doing everything possible to avoid an audit, and we are recommending a course of action that could invite one! But the SR&ED department and CRA audit are physically separated and their administrations are purposefully disconnected in order to avoid deterrence from the program. SR&ED auditors do not report any non-fraudulent findings to other CRA departments, and do not investigate other areas of corporate activities, such as health, human resources, taxes collected, etc.
We also remind clients that it's just a claim, which is significant. The worst case scenario is that the claim is rejected or withdrawn, but there are never penalties associated with either of these options, as long as you have not committed a fraud. You should also realize that you have nothing to lose. In  worst case scenario is that you receive no refund and pay no consulting fees. You cannot lose. It's a "no brainer".

Q. 4. What if I don't pay corporate taxes?
A. Think of SR&ED as an "expenditure credit". Small and medium sized companies receive refunds, plus interest, even if they didn't pay corporate taxes. Sounds too good to be true, but it is true. You need to be up to date on your government remittances, however, in order to receive your refund.

Q. 5. How much time will this take?
A. Simply SRED makes every effort to facilitate the process and make it as painless as possible. You will need to spend a few hours with us, and provide financial data with which we tabulate your claim, but your Simply SRED consultant will take care of the rest.

Q. 6. Do I need to have a laboratory or sophisticated facility in order to qualify?
A. No. CRA recognizes shop-floor technology. We have clients that are cabinet makers and sausage makers. If you conduct experimentation and attempt to solve problems during the course of your work, then you could be entitled to a refund, regardless of your premises or education.

Q. 7. Do I need to have documentation?
A. It's definitely better to have documentation, but we will assess your claim based upon what you have, and provide you with the tools and training to document better in the future. CRA knows that first time claimants may not have known about the program, as it's retroactive 2 years.

Q. 8. Do you have references?
A. Simply SRED has many references. Just ask.

Q. 9. How long does it take to get a refund?
A. Every case is different. It could take 8 weeks, or 2 years. But most claims are approved within 4 months of submission to the government. Now the federal and provincial governments are harmonized, so processing is quicker.
Now think about it. What are your competitors doing with THEIR refunds?