San Diego · R&D Tax Credit
San Diego's biotech and life-sciences companies often carry substantial qualifying R&D spend. Staxiom's team includes former Big 4 accountants.
Federal and California R&D credit studies for biotech, life-sciences, and tech work.
Every study comes with the project and payroll documentation behind the claim.
Pre-revenue companies applying the credit against payroll tax instead of income tax.
A clinical-stage company with years of R&D spend before any revenue can still benefit from the federal credit's payroll tax offset, up to $500,000 a year applied against payroll tax instead of income tax. California's own R&D credit, 15% of qualified research expenses over a base amount, doesn't have that offset, so it only helps once there's California income tax liability, worth planning around rather than assuming both credits land the same way.
For a quick number first, run the R&D tax credit calculator. Read the full breakdown on the R&D tax credit guide, or see how this looks for Los Angeles and Orange County startups.
Often yes, biotech and life-sciences R&D tends to involve significant qualifying wages plus contract research and lab costs, both of which can count toward the credit if the work meets the IRS's four-part test. The size of any specific claim still depends entirely on a company's actual qualifying spend, not its industry.
Yes, through the federal credit's payroll tax offset, up to $500,000 a year can apply against payroll tax instead of income tax, which is often the more useful path for a clinical-stage company with years of R&D spend before any revenue. California's own R&D credit doesn't have that payroll offset, so it only helps once there's state income tax liability.
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