Lucas County R&D Tax Advisors

R&D Tax Credit Support for Lucas County Businesses

Lucas County includes a wide mix of engineering-focused industries, including advanced manufacturing, glass and material science, solar and photovoltaic component development, transportation systems, healthcare technology, automation, and software engineering. These companies often conduct technical work such as testing materials, refining production steps, developing prototypes, or improving digital systems. When documented properly, many of these activities may qualify for the federal R&D Tax Credit.


RCG has completed more than 25,000 R&D tax credit studies and identified more than $750 million in federal tax savings. Our CPAs, engineers, and technical analysts focus exclusively on R&D tax services, helping Lucas County businesses identify eligible activities and prepare audit-ready technical documentation.

Understanding the R&D Tax Credit

The R&D Tax Credit supports businesses that work to improve or develop products, materials, software, or manufacturing processes. Eligibility centers on the presence of technical uncertainty and the use of systematic experimentation, engineering analysis, prototyping, modeling, or structured evaluation.


In Lucas County, these activities often appear in material testing, photovoltaic refinement, control system development, component engineering, and digital platform enhancement.

How the R&D Credit Benefits Lucas County Companies

Qualified research expenses reduce federal tax liability and support reinvestment in:

Engineering staff and technical labor

Material and component testing

Prototyping and design evaluation

Automation improvements and equipment upgrades

Software development and digital system refinement

Eligible companies may also look back to open tax years for additional opportunities. Startups that meet IRS criteria may apply the credit toward the employer portion of payroll taxes.

R&D Activity Commonly Found in Solar and Photovoltaic Development

Lucas County includes material science and photovoltaic manufacturers that frequently perform R&D activities such as:

Testing thin-film coatings or photovoltaic materials

Refining deposition, lamination, or assembly processes

Evaluating thermal or mechanical performance under varied conditions

Assessing durability and degradation behavior

Iterating design concepts to improve energy output or material efficiency

These activities rely on engineering and structured testing, which often align with IRS requirements.

Sectors That Qualify for R&D Tax Incentives

Solar & Photovoltaic Manufacturing
Testing thin-film coatings, refining photovoltaic layer performance, improving deposition or lamination methods, evaluating module durability


Glass, Materials & Applied Science
Testing compositions, refining material behavior, evaluating thermal characteristics, improving structural performance


Advanced Manufacturing & Industrial Components

Prototype testing, machining refinement, tolerance evaluation, process improvements

Transportation & Mechanical Systems Engineering

Evaluating mechanical behavior, refining geometries, testing components under load


Healthcare Technology & Device Development

Testing system functionality, refining device configurations, validating performance


Automation, Robotics & Industrial Controls
Updating control logic, improving automation sequences, integrating new technologies



Software Development & Digital Systems

Enhancing features, refining integrations, improving data workflows, designing internal-use platforms

Who Qualifies for the R&D Tax Credit

Lucas County companies may qualify when they conduct activities such as:

Designing or refining prototypes and engineered components

Testing material blends, photovoltaic layers, coatings, or glass compositions

Improving automation reliability, robotics configurations, or system responsiveness

Developing or enhancing software systems or digital tools

Conducting structured experimentation to resolve technical uncertainty

Evaluating alternative methods, materials, or configurations during development

Eligibility depends on the technical process, not company size or industry category.

Steps to Claim Your R&D Tax Credit

  • 1. Identify qualifying activity

    RCG meets with engineering, production, and software teams to understand the technical work performed.

  • 2. Gather documentation

    We assist in collecting test logs, design revisions, formulation records, prototype data, development notes, and payroll information.

  • 3. Build project narratives

    RCG prepares clear narratives outlining uncertainty, experimentation, evaluation steps, and technical reasoning.

  • 4. Evaluate qualified expenses

    We analyze eligible wages, materials, supplies, and contractor activity tied to qualifying projects.

  • 5. Deliver an audit-ready package

    Your CPA receives completed IRS forms and the technical documentation supporting each project.

  • 6. Provide support if questions arise

    RCG responds to taxing authorities using the documentation created during your study.

IRS Requirements: The Four-Part Test

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

Elimination of Uncertainty: Teams must face uncertainty about capability, method, or appropriate design.

Process of Experimentation: Projects must include structured testing, trials, simulation, or prototyping.

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

Documentation and Support for Lucas County Businesses

RCG prepares structured documentation including engineering notes, testing summaries, project descriptions, and wage analyses that demonstrate how research activities align with IRS requirements.

How RCG Works With Your Lucas County Team

RCG begins with an operational review to identify areas where experimentation or technical development occurs. We interview engineering, software, and production personnel to gather details about prototypes, formulations, digital improvements, and system refinements. RCG compiles this material into a complete audit-ready package for your CPA.

Common Misconceptions About the R&D Tax Credit

Many Lucas County companies believe R&D must involve laboratory environments. In reality, qualifying activities often occur during production trials, software development, material blending, photovoltaic evaluation, automation adjustments, or component testing. Eligibility depends on the technical method, not the setting.

Why Lucas County Companies Work With RCG

RCG specializes in identifying qualifying engineering, manufacturing, material science, photovoltaic development, automation, and software activities. Our technical and tax expertise ensures Lucas County businesses receive clear, defensible, and compliant R&D documentation.

Start Your R&D Tax Credit Review

If your Lucas County business develops, refines, tests, or improves products, materials, software, photovoltaic components, or production processes, the R&D Tax Credit may apply.

Frequently Asked Questions for Lucas County Businesses

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

    Many do when they test materials, refine machining parameters, evaluate prototypes, or improve production processes.

  • Does solar or photovoltaic development qualify for the credit?

    It may when activities involve refining thin-film coatings, testing photovoltaic layers, improving material deposition processes, or evaluating performance through structured experimentation.

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

    Often yes. Developing features, improving integrations, refining data handling, or solving system-level technical challenges may qualify.

  • Can transportation or mechanical component engineering qualify?

    Yes. Testing mechanical behavior, refining part geometry, or optimizing performance under various conditions often meets IRS requirements.

  • Can Montgomery County startups apply the credit to payroll taxes?

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

  • Can Lucas 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 helps support a strong R&D claim?

    Testing logs, design files, development notes, formulation records, prototype data, engineering evaluations, 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.