Core belief #1 Senior-led expertise matters
SR&ED is one of the most valuable programs supporting innovation in Canada, but it’s not something to take lightly. Preparing a strong SR&ED claim is complex. It’s not just about writing 2,000 words describing a project and filling in a few numbers on a tax form.
Understanding a company’s R&D projects and developing the optimal claim strategy, one that maximizes the refund and stands up to CRA scrutiny, takes experience.
Unfortunately, that’s not always what clients get.
Larger firms showcase their senior consultants during the sales process only to hand you off to a different consultant after you sign - often someone with limited experience in your field of technology and limited experience in SR&ED itself. While some lead with software platforms, automations or AI rather than experience.
After 15+ years and thousands of SR&ED claims, I can confidently say: Every claim is unique, and every claim is complex.
Preparing a solid SR&ED claim means:
Identifying the eligible work (which often isn’t obvious).
Positioning and presenting it properly to align with CRA’s interpretation of the rules.
Quantifying the eligible effort accurately and defensibly.
That takes two kinds of expertise:
Deep technical understanding of what the company is truly building.
Deep tax and policy knowledge to view that work through the lens of SR&ED legislation.
You can’t automate that. You can’t pass it off to someone who doesn’t have years of experience and knowledge built from thousands of real-world claims.
At Elevyn Consulting, every claim is led personally by me. Because experience matters.
