Brown County R&D Tax Advisors

R&D Tax Credit Support for Brown County Businesses

Brown County is home to manufacturers, food producers, fabrication shops, agricultural innovators, and small technology teams that frequently engage in technical work without realizing it may qualify for the federal R&D Tax Credit. Businesses across the county often refine processes, test new ideas, evaluate materials, or develop internal tools, all of which may meet IRS standards when properly documented.


Since 2004, RCG has completed more than 25,000 R&D tax credit studies and identified over $750 million in federal tax savings. Our team of CPAs, engineers, and technical analysts focuses exclusively on R&D tax incentive programs. We help Brown County businesses understand the credit, document technical efforts clearly, and support compliant filing with audit-ready project documentation.

Understanding the R&D Tax Credit

The federal R&D Tax Credit rewards companies that invest resources into improving or developing products, processes, or technology. Eligibility depends on the technical nature of the work performed. Activities may qualify when they involve experimentation, engineering principles, structured testing, or attempts to resolve technical uncertainty.


Many Brown County businesses perform this type of work during routine operations, such as refining equipment performance, improving production consistency, developing software features, or testing material variations.

Business Benefits of the R&D Tax Credit

Qualified research expenses reduce federal tax liability, enabling businesses to reinvest in development efforts, equipment, staff, and new product lines. Eligible companies may also claim credits for open tax years. Startups that meet IRS criteria can apply the R&D Tax Credit to the employer portion of payroll taxes, providing meaningful cash flow support in early growth stages.

Where Qualified Activity Commonly Occurs in Brown County

RCG reviews technical activities across your operations to identify areas that may qualify. In Brown County, common examples of qualifying work include:

Testing materials or improving durability

Enhancing production consistency or refining process steps

Developing internal software tools or custom integrations

Prototyping new product concepts

Adjusting equipment programming or workflow automation

Conducting test batches or data-driven evaluations to refine outcomes

Sectors That Qualify for R&D Tax Incentives

Brown County companies may qualify for the R&D Tax Credit when their activities involve technical improvement or structured experimentation. RCG evaluates work across industries such as:

Manufacturing and Fabrication
Prototype development, tolerance adjustments, material testing, or refining production processes.


Food Production and Product Development
Improving batch consistency, refining formulations, and reviewing packaging or processing conditions.


Agricultural Technology and Applied Science

Evaluating treatments, testing performance, or modifying equipment used in agricultural processes.


Software Development and Automation

Designing internal tools, building new features, or improving workflow systems.


Industrial and Mechanical Systems Support

Testing configurations, updating control logic, and evaluating equipment performance.

Who Qualifies for the R&D Tax Credit

Brown County businesses may qualify when they perform activities such as:

Designing or modifying prototypes

Testing alternative materials or methods

Developing or improving software applications

Refining production processes to enhance reliability

Conducting structured experimentation or analysis

Addressing technical uncertainty in development or scale-up

Eligibility is based on the technical approach, not the size of the business.

Steps to Claim Your R&D Tax Credit

  • 1. Identify technical activity

    RCG meets with your team to understand development and problem-solving efforts across your operations.

  • 2. Gather documentation

    We help collect design files, testing notes, prototype data, programming logs, and payroll information.

  • 3. Build project narratives

    RCG prepares clear descriptions of each qualified project, outlining technical challenges, experimentation, and intended improvements.

  • 4. Evaluate qualified research expenses

    We review wages, supplies, and contractor work to determine which costs qualify.

  • 5. Prepare an audit-ready package

    Your CPA receives a complete filing package that includes detailed technical narratives and IRS-required tax forms.

  • 6.Respond to inquiries when needed

    If taxing authorities request clarification, RCG responds using the documentation created during your engagement.

IRS Requirements: The Four-Part Test

Permitted Purpose: Work must aim to improve function, quality, performance, or reliability.

Elimination of Uncertainty: The team must address uncertainty regarding capability, method, or design.

Process of Experimentation: Activities involve testing, analysis, simulation, prototype evaluation, or iterative refinement.

Technological in Nature: Efforts must rely on engineering, computer science, physical sciences, or biological sciences.

Documentation and Support for Brown County Companies

The IRS requires documentation that links technical activity to specific expenses. RCG provides project narratives, wage analyses, testing logs, and supporting documentation that show how qualifying work occurred. This strengthens your claim and provides clarity in the event of an inquiry.

How RCG Works With Your Brown County Team

We begin by reviewing your operations to identify areas where technical development or experimentation occurs. Our specialists meet with engineering, production, and software personnel to understand the work performed. RCG compiles this information into a complete audit-ready package for your CPA.

Common Misconceptions About the R&D Tax Credit

Many Brown County businesses believe their work is too routine to qualify or assume they need a formal research department. In reality, qualifying activities often occur during everyday production adjustments, equipment refinement, material evaluation, or software improvements. Eligibility depends on the technical process, not the size of the company.

Why Brown County Businesses Work With RCG

RCG specializes in identifying qualified research activities and documenting them clearly for IRS compliance. Our engineering and tax experience helps Brown County companies uncover eligible work that may have gone unrecognized and ensures their claims are supported with accurate, audit-ready documentation.

Start Your R&D Tax Credit Review

If your Brown County business is developing, testing, refining, or improving products or processes, the R&D Tax Credit may apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do Brown County manufacturers qualify for the R&D credit

    Many do when their work involves improving production steps, testing materials, or evaluating prototypes.

  • Does software development qualify if we do not have a research department

    Yes. Internal tools, new features, and system enhancements may qualify when based on computer science principles.

  • We operate a food production facility. Could we qualify

     Possibly. Adjusting formulations, refining processing steps, or improving consistency may qualify when experimentation is involved.

  • Can Brown County startups apply the credit to payroll taxes

    Yes. Eligible startups may apply the credit toward the employer portion of payroll taxes.

  • What documentation is most helpful

    Testing notes, design files, prototype evaluations, programming records, and payroll data help support a claim. RCG organizes these materials into a defensible package.

Our Serving Area

RCG assists clients in identifying and documenting available adoption assistance tax credits throughout the state of Ohio.