Leveraging your SRED (SR&ED) Tax credit via the financing and factoring of your claim is a responsible way to maximize cash flow and working capital. It’s all about timing, and if your firm requires additional working capital financing the ability to cash flow or discount your claim for working capital today is a clear and viable option.
Canadian business owners that partake of the program in Canada clearly have recognized the benefits of research and furthering their competitive position in product and services. Although tens of thousands of firm take advantage of the program we are always amazed at the number of our clients that either have not heard of the program, much less take advantage of it.
Let’s do a short primer on the program, and more importantly, the financing aspects of your claim. And trust us, we are not talking about going to your chartered bank for that financing, as this type of financing is somewhat boutique and niche requires specialized financing and financing assistance.
The federal SRED program is s of course for private companies that qualify for a non repayable tax credit, in effect a grant from the government for a large percentage of their R&D spending. Your ability to recover that cash flow is of course a very positive aspect, but, the ability to finance your claim as soon as it is filed, ( in some cases before ) simply is one more alternative in today’s challenging cash flow environment to monetize a short term asset and turn it into cash flow.
So how does SRED (Sr&Ed) tax credit financing and factoring work? We use the term factoring because its becoming more broadly understood and accepted in Canada – so what we are simply saying is that your SRED (sr&Ed) claim is in effect a receivable, and in the same manner that you would consider financing a receivable is really the same logic and methodology around a SRED financing.
Is it difficult to finance a Sr&Ed? We keep that explanation to our clients very simple. If you have a SRED that has been prepared by a qualified consultant or accountant and your company has viability then your claim is finance-able. Is that complex, we don’t think so.
Have you ever applied for any type of business financing before? What was involved? – Typically it was filling out an application, providing back up documentation, and clarifying, if required to a business lender, any information that required explanation. Guess what, that’s the SRED process also.
A claim can be financed in a matter of weeks, which we think is a very typical time for any type of business financing these days. After a basic business application and review of your SRED a term sheet is issued. Typically the main collateral for the financing is of course the SRED claim itself. In Canada its typical to receive about 70% LTV for your claim, meaning that if you claim is 300k you would receive immediate financing for 70% of that amount. Whats the monthly payment clients ask? Here’s the good news, there is none. You put that cash flow to work and when your claim is finalized, adjudicated and paid by Ottawa then you receive the other 30% of your claim, minus of course the financing costs, which typically are in the 1. 5 -2% range per month.
Speak to a trusted, credible, and experienced Canadian business financing adviser on how SRED (SR&ED tax credit financing and factoring works. Cash flow today from a government non repayable grant – How could you not consider that option!
