You’re sitting across from an SR&ED consultant for the first time, and everything sounds promising. They mention tax credits, refunds, and how much money you could reclaim. But here’s what most first-time claimants don’t realize: not all SR&ED consultants deliver the same value, and the wrong choice can cost you more than just fees.
At SRED.ca, we’ve seen what happens when founders sign with firms that prioritize speed over substance. This guide walks you through the seven questions that separate genuine SR&ED partners from consultants who file and disappear.
Filing your first SR&ED claim can feel like stepping into unfamiliar territory. You’re not just claiming expenses—you’re navigating CRA requirements, technical documentation, and financial reporting all at once.
We focused on questions that address the biggest concerns first-time claimants face:
If you’ve never filed an SR&ED claim, the last thing you need is a consultant who treats you like a transaction. SRED.ca was built for founders and technical leads who want to understand what they’re claiming—not just hand over documents and hope for the best.
What makes SRED.ca different starts with pricing. While most firms charge 15-25% of your refund, SRED.ca uses flat-fee pricing. You know exactly what you’ll pay before you start. On a $300,000 claim, that difference adds up to tens of thousands of dollars staying in your pocket over five years.
Then there’s the guarantee. SRED.ca backs every claim with a 75% approval guarantee—if your claim falls below that threshold, you don’t pay. It’s the only guarantee of its kind in Canada.
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This question reveals more about a firm’s incentives than almost any other. Contingency pricing—where the consultant takes a percentage of your refund—is standard across the industry. Rates typically range from 15% to 25%, though larger claims sometimes negotiate lower percentages.
The math matters. On a $200,000 refund, a 20% fee means $40,000 goes to your consultant. That’s money that could have funded additional R&D or extended your runway.
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Every SR&ED claim faces potential CRA scrutiny. The question isn’t whether your documentation needs to hold up—it’s whether your consultant builds claims with that standard from day one.
A methodology matters here. The CRA expects claims to follow the scientific method: hypothesis, experimentation, analysis, and conclusions. If your consultant can’t explain how they structure claims to meet these expectations, that’s a warning sign.
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SR&ED documentation isn’t a year-end exercise. The strongest claims build on records created throughout the fiscal year—project logs, time tracking, expense categorization, and technical notes captured while the work happens.
Ask whether the consultant offers tools, templates, or systems for ongoing documentation. Find out if they conduct quarterly check-ins or only appear at filing time.
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First-time claims carry unique challenges. You’re learning the program while trying to maximize your refund. A consultant experienced with new filers understands this balance.
Ask how many first-time claims the firm has prepared. Find out whether they assign dedicated resources to guide you through the process or treat your claim like any other in the queue.
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Submitting your SR&ED claim is the beginning, not the end. The CRA may request additional information, schedule a technical review, or conduct a full audit. Knowing who handles these interactions matters.
Ask whether the same team that prepared your claim will respond to CRA inquiries. Find out if audit support is included in your fees or billed separately.
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No one enters an SR&ED engagement expecting problems. But understanding what happens if things go wrong reveals the consultant’s commitment to your success.
Ask about the firm’s track record with claim approvals. Find out whether any fee protections exist if your claim doesn’t deliver expected value.
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| Evaluation Criteria | SRED.ca | Contingency Firms | Accounting Firm SR&ED Divisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claim Approval Guarantee | ✓ 75% guarantee | ✗ | ✗ |
| Flat-Fee Pricing | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Audit Defense Included | ✓ | Often separate fee | Often separate fee |
| Year-Round Support | ✓ Quarterly interviews | Varies | Varies |
The SR&ED process typically spans your entire fiscal year, not just filing season. A good consultant starts with a kickoff meeting to assess your R&D activities and establish tracking systems. Quarterly touchpoints capture project progress while details remain fresh.
Technical interviews are where the real work happens. Your consultant needs to understand the technological uncertainties you faced, the approaches you tried, and the knowledge you gained. This information becomes the foundation for your technical narrative—the document that demonstrates eligibility to the CRA.
Financial documentation runs parallel to technical preparation. Eligible expenditures include salaries, materials, and certain contractor costs directly tied to SR&ED work. Accurate tracking throughout the year prevents reconstruction headaches at filing time.
Verification starts with references. Ask for contact information from clients in your industry. A confident consultant welcomes this request; a hesitant one raises questions.
Review the firm’s content. Blog posts, guides, and educational resources demonstrate expertise. If the consultant can’t explain SR&ED concepts clearly in writing, they may struggle to explain your claim to the CRA.
Check for professional credentials. While no specific SR&ED license exists, backgrounds in engineering, science, accounting, or tax law indicate relevant expertise. Ask about the qualifications of the specific team members who would handle your file.
The SR&ED program exists to reward Canadian innovation. Your refund should fuel your next project, not your consultant’s profits. SRED.ca built a model that keeps more money where it belongs—in your R&D budget.
SRED.ca’s flat-fee structure eliminates the percentage game. You know your costs upfront, and they don’t grow as your refund grows. Over multiple years, this difference compounds into significant savings.
The 75% claim approval guarantee puts real accountability behind every file. If SRED.ca doesn’t deliver, you don’t pay. It’s the kind of commitment that forces a firm to prepare claims that hold up—not claims that get filed and forgotten.
For first-time claimants navigating unfamiliar territory, SRED.ca offers the guidance and transparency that builds confidence. Your refund is waiting. The question is whether your consultant will help you claim it—or claim a piece of it for themselves.
Most SR&ED consultants charge between 15% and 25% of your refund on a contingency basis. SRED.ca offers a different approach with flat-fee pricing that doesn’t increase as your refund grows, keeping more money in your R&D budget.
You can file independently, but the process requires technical narrative writing, financial calculations, and CRA compliance knowledge. Most first-time claimants find that consultant guidance improves both claim quality and approval rates. SRED.ca’s free SR&ED Academy helps you understand the process regardless of who prepares your claim.
A typical SR&ED engagement spans your fiscal year with quarterly documentation touchpoints. After filing with your corporate tax return, the CRA aims to process a refundable claim accepted as filed within 60 calendar days, and a claim selected for review within 180 days of a complete filing. Reviews or audits extend timelines. SRED.ca’s year-round support keeps documentation current so filing doesn’t become a year-end scramble.
Common audit triggers include first-time claims, significant changes in claim size, industry-specific scrutiny, and documentation gaps. Well-prepared claims with contemporaneous records face less risk. SRED.ca’s methodology builds audit-ready documentation from day one, and the 75% guarantee covers audit defense outcomes.
Industry familiarity helps consultants identify eligible activities faster. However, strong SR&ED methodology matters more than narrow specialization. SRED.ca works across software, manufacturing, cleantech, healthtech, and other R&D-intensive sectors, understanding both the technical and financial elements of diverse claims.
Audit defense typically includes responding to CRA information requests, preparing additional documentation, attending technical review meetings, and advocating for your claim value. SRED.ca includes audit defense under the same guarantee structure—if the post-audit result falls below 75% of filed value, you don’t pay the defense fee.
Do you have a SRED question? Planning for the future or perhaps you want to know how much your claim might be? Don’t worry, our CPA is always ready to answer any question. Get a SRED expert in your corner.
Have a question? We’d love to help. If you don’t have a SR&ED expert in your corner, doesn’t it make sense to have one?
