IRS Clarifies Procedure for Annual Filers to Claim Payroll Tax Credit for Increasing Research Activities

The IRS issued guidance for small business annual tax filers that want to claim a research credit against their payroll tax liability. The IRS stated that computing the tax credit for annual employment tax filers if the income tax return electing the credit is filed during the first three quarters of the calendar year because the information on Form 8974, Qualified Small Business Payroll Tax Credit for Increasing Research Activities, is compiled on an annual basis.

 

Here’s the back story.

After December 31, 2015, then-President Obama signed into law the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH Act of 2015, which included changes for qualified small businesses to claim up to $250,000 of its credit for increasing research activities as a payroll tax credit against the employer’s share of social security tax. Prior to 2016, small businesses could only take the research tax credit against income tax liability.

What type of business is eligible?

The business must be a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation whose stock isn’t publicly traded. The average annual gross receipts of the business for the 3-tax-year period preceding the tax year of the credit cannot exceed $50 million.  If the entity was not in existence for the entire three-year period, then the gross receipts requirement is based on the period during which the entity was in existence.

 

As a qualified business with qualifying research expenses, you can apply up to $250,000 of your research credit against your payroll tax liability by using the following steps:

 

  1. Complete Form 6765, Credit for Increasing Research Activities, make the election, and attach the completed form to your timely filed business income return.
  2. Claim the payroll tax credit by completing Form 8974, Qualified Small Business Payroll Tax Credit for Increasing Research Activities. You must attach this form to your payroll tax return.

 

Note: The amount reported on form 8974, Line 10 is the total amount of social security tax (both employer and employee shares) for the whole year, but employers can only apply the credit against the employer share of the social security tax paid in calendar quarters that began after the date on which the business files it income tax return making the election. Since you can’t apply for the credit during a time when you filed your tax return, you can take a partial credit adjustment on Form 8974, line 11 to be 50% of the total social security tax that you paid in the quarters after the income tax return making the election was filed. If you don’t consult with a small business tax expert, this would be a great time to have a chat with one.

If your small business uses research and development as part of your business, there are many ways that you can take advantage of tax opportunities. The small business advisors with PASBA can help. Find an Accountant by clicking the link at the top of this page to learn more.

 

PASBA member accountants bring the collective resources of a nationwide network of Certified Public Accountants, Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents and other practitioners available to answer your tax and financial questions and streamline your business accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll operations.

 

To find a trusted accountant in your area, visit www.SmallBizAccountants.com.

 Please be advised that, based on current IRS rules and standards, any advice contained herein is not intended to be used, nor can it be used, for the avoidance of any tax penalty that the IRS may assess related to this matter. Any information contained in this article, whether viewed or subsequently printed, cannot be relied upon as qualified tax and accounting advice. Any information contained in this article does not fall under the guidelines of IRS Circular 230.