Erie County R&D Tax Advisors

R&D Tax Credit Support for Erie County Businesses

Erie County includes a wide range of industrial and technical companies, from plastics processors and metal fabricators to marine equipment builders, food production teams, chemical blenders, automation developers, aerospace-related engineering groups, and software developers. These operations often refine processes, test materials, evaluate prototypes, improve system performance, or build internal-use digital tools. When properly documented, many of these efforts may qualify for the federal R&D Tax Credit.


RCG has completed more than 25,000 R&D tax credit studies and identified over $750 million in federal tax savings. Our CPAs, engineers, and technical analysts focus exclusively on R&D credit services, helping Erie County companies build strong, audit-ready documentation.

Understanding the R&D Tax Credit

The federal R&D Tax Credit rewards businesses attempting to improve or develop:

Manufacturing processes

Material blends, molding methods, or coatings

Mechanical assemblies or structural components

Marine or transportation-related equipment

Automation, controls, or robotics workflows

Software tools, data workflows, or system features

Engineering systems used for testing or simulation

Projects may qualify when teams:

Attempt to resolve technical uncertainty

Conduct prototyping, structured trials, or iterative testing

Evaluate alternative materials, geometries, or parameters

Apply engineering principles to refine performance

Develop or improve software using systematic methods

These activities commonly occur across Erie County’s industrial and technology sectors.

How the R&D Credit Supports Erie County Operations

Qualified research expenses help companies:

Reduce federal tax liability

Add engineering or technical personnel

Improve production consistency or quality

Test new materials, designs, or system configurations

Enhance automation functionality

Develop or refine software applications

Eligible startups may also apply the credit toward payroll taxes, and all businesses may review open tax years.

Where Technical Innovation Commonly Occurs in Erie County

RCG frequently documents qualifying activity such as:

Testing plastics, resins, coatings, or new formulations

Refining molding, forming, machining, or fabrication methods

Developing or improving components for marine or transportation systems

Enhancing automation logic, workflow reliability, or sensor performance

Evaluating structural behavior for equipment or components

Conducting environmental or mechanical simulation work

Developing or refining internal-use software or digital tools

Running structured tests to compare design or process alternatives

These activities demonstrate the experimentation the IRS requires.

Sectors That Qualify for R&D Tax Incentives

Plastics, Polymers & Material Processing

Testing blends, refining molding parameters, improving consistency, evaluating durability

Metal Fabrication, Machining & Structural Products

Improving tolerances, testing strength, refining machining sequences, evaluating alternative geometries

Marine, Transportation & Equipment Fabrication

Testing new components, refining structures, improving reliability, evaluating performance

Food Production & Process Engineering

Adjusting formulations, refining process variables, improving packaging behavior

Chemical Blending & Applied Formulations

Evaluating blend performance, refining stability, testing material interactions


Automation, Robotics & Control Systems
Updating control logic, improving workflow responsiveness, integrating new sensors or components

Software Development & Digital Systems
Enhancing architecture, refining integrations, developing features, improving system behavior

Industrial Equipment & Process Systems
Prototyping assemblies, refining system performance, testing mechanical or operational upgrades

Aerospace Testing, Simulation & Safety Engineering

Evaluating component behavior, refining testing procedures, developing simulation models, improving environmental or structural testing methods

Who Qualifies for the R&D Tax Credit

Erie County companies may qualify when they:

Test materials, formulations, coatings, or structural elements

Design or refine prototypes, molds, tools, or assemblies

Improve machining, forming, or fabrication techniques

Perform simulation or testing to validate performance

Develop or refine software architecture or features

Conduct structured experimentation to solve technical uncertainty

Eligibility depends on the engineering method, not industry type.

Steps to Claim Your R&D Tax Credit

  • 1. Identify qualifying activity

    RCG meets with engineering, production, materials, automation, aerospace testing, marine fabrication, and software teams to identify qualifying efforts.

  • 2. Gather supporting documentation

    We help collect design records, test results, simulation notes, prototype data, development logs, and payroll information.

  • 3. Prepare project narratives

    RCG outlines technical uncertainty, experimental steps, engineering reasoning, and evaluation results.

  • 4. Evaluate qualified research expenses

    We analyze eligible wages, supplies, materials, and contractor activity tied to qualified R&D efforts.

  • 5. Deliver an audit-ready package

    Your CPA receives complete technical narratives, cost schedules, and required IRS forms.

  • 6. Provide support if questions arise

    RCG responds using documentation created during the engagement.

IRS Requirements: The Four-Part Test

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

Elimination of Uncertainty: Teams must address uncertainty related to capability, method, or design.

Process of Experimentation: Projects must involve prototyping, testing, simulation, or systematic evaluation of alternatives.

Technological in Nature: Efforts must rely on engineering, chemistry, physics, computer science, or related sciences.

Documentation and Support for Erie County Businesses

RCG prepares engineering notes, testing summaries, simulation records, prototype evaluations, cost data, and wage analyses that tie project work directly to qualified research expenses.

How RCG Works With Your Erie County Team

RCG begins with an operational review to identify where experimentation occurs. We speak with teams across engineering, materials, fabrication, simulation, automation, food production, and software development to gather technical details. All findings are incorporated into an audit-ready package for your CPA.

Common Misconceptions About the R&D Tax Credit

Many Erie County organizations assume R&D only occurs in laboratory settings. In reality, qualifying work often happens on the production floor or within engineering or software teams, including:

Testing materials

Refining structures

Improving control logic

Evaluating simulated environments

Debugging or improving software systems

Refining workflows or equipment behavior

Eligibility depends on the technical approach, not formal lab facilities.

Why Erie County Companies Work With RCG

RCG specializes in documenting engineering, material development, fabrication, simulation, automation, food processing, and software activities. Our combined technical and tax expertise helps Erie County firms identify eligible R&D work and maintain compliance with IRS expectations.

Start Your R&D Tax Credit Review

If your Erie County business tests, develops, refines, or improves materials, components, processes, automation systems, simulation methods, or software, the R&D Tax Credit may apply.

Frequently Asked Questions for Erie County Businesses

  • Do Erie County manufacturers qualify for the R&D Credit?

    Many qualify when they refine processes, evaluate prototypes, test materials, or improve structural performance.

  • Does engineering work related to testing or simulation qualify?

    It may qualify when structured experimentation, modeling, or evaluation is used to improve performance or reliability.

  • Does plastics or material processing qualify?

    Often yes. Testing blends, refining molding conditions, or analyzing durability may meet IRS criteria.

  • Does marine or transportation fabrication qualify?

    It may when teams assess structural behavior, test new designs, or refine assemblies through experimentation.

  • Do Erie County software teams qualify for R&D incentives?

    Yes. Developing features, improving system logic, enhancing architecture, or resolving technical uncertainty may qualify.

  • Can Erie County startups apply the R&D credit to payroll taxes?

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

  • What documentation supports a strong R&D claim?

    Testing logs, simulation records, engineering notes, prototype data, development documentation, and payroll information strengthen audit readiness.

Our Serving Area

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