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Transforming R&D Tax Strategies: The Impact of the OBBBA

In the realm of business innovation, Research and Experimental (R&E) expenses are pivotal for fostering growth across sectors. Historically, tax laws have incentivized such expenditures by allowing businesses to deduct them, thereby alleviating tax burdens and fostering research-driven innovation.

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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), enacted on July 4, 2025, reinstates the immediate deduction of domestic R&E expenses, reversing the constraints of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). This change under the new Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 174A restores significant tax incentives for U.S.-based R&D efforts, while maintaining stricter capitalization for foreign activities.

Understanding R&E Expenditures

Commonly referred to as R&D costs, these expenditures encompass costs incurred during product development, including software. Key expenses typically involve:

  • Employee wages for research roles.

  • Materials and supplies consumed during research.

  • Contractual costs for external research services.

  • Overhead related to research facilities and equipment, such as rent and utilities.

The IRS’s broad definition encourages diverse innovation activities.

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The Evolution of R&E Expensing

Prior to the TCJA's amendments post-2021, businesses could either immediately deduct R&E expenses or capitalize and amortize them over a 60-month period, a flexibility that benefitted innovation-centric businesses. The TCJA altered this, mandating a capitalization approach over five years for domestic and fifteen years for foreign R&D expenditures, a significant shift that increased cash tax burdens, particularly impacting startups.

OBBBA's Influence on R&E Expensing - Effective for fiscal years post-December 31, 2024, the OBBBA redefines the landscape of domestic R&E.

Domestic vs. Foreign Distinctions

  • Domestic R&E Costs: Businesses can fully deduct costs in the year incurred, reviving prior benefits and incentivizing U.S.-centric R&D. Alternatively, they can opt for capitalization over at least 60 months.

  • Foreign R&E Costs: The 15-year amortization remains, without immediate recovery for unamortized bases upon disposition after May 12, 2025, encouraging multinationals to reevaluate research locales for optimal tax advantages.

Accelerating Previously Amortized Costs - OBBBA offers relief for R&E costs capitalized during 2022-2024, providing options such as:

  • Option 1: Full Expensing (2025): Deduct the remaining unamortized balance in the first fiscal year post-2024.

  • Option 2: Two-Year Amortization: Spread deductions equally across 2025 and 2026.

  • Option 3: Continued Amortization: Continue the original five-year schedule.

Additional Options for Small Businesses: Those with average gross receipts of $31 million or less may retroactively apply full expensing to post-2021 tax years via amended returns, coordinating with R&D credits as per Section 280C(c).

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Integration with Other Tax Provisions

The expensing changes interact with net operating loss, bonus depreciation, interest limitations, and international taxes. Businesses should model potential outcomes to strategically navigate these deductions for 2025 and beyond, optimizing tax liabilities.

Streamlining Accounting Adjustments - Transition rules are an automatic accounting method change, easing compliance and offering significant cash flow opportunities. IRS guidance in Rev Proc 2025-28 outlines making the change through a return statement without Form 3115.

For personalized modeling and strategy optimization, contact this office to assess your specific tax situation and leverage the revamped provisions to align with your business goals.

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