In this article:

  1. Opening Answer
  2. Benefits of Expert Support
  3. Our Process
  4. Case Studies
  5. Why Businesses Choose Henderson & Associates
  6. When to Hire an SR&ED Consultant
  7. Get Started

Hire an SR&ED Consultant in Canada (Maximize Your Claim)

Opening Answer

If your business is investing in product development, engineering, or process improvement, hiring an SR&ED consultant is often the difference between a basic claim and a maximized one.

Most companies recover 15% to 35% of eligible costs, but businesses can materially increase their claim value with proper support. For example, a company expecting a $90,000 refund may uncover $130,000+ after identifying missed projects and capturing full eligible labour.

The key is aligning your claim with how the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) evaluates technological uncertainty, experimentation, and cost eligibility.

Benefits of Expert Support

Hiring an SR&ED consultant is not just about filing. It is about maximizing return and reducing risk.

1. Identify Hidden Eligible Work

Most businesses:

  • Miss entire projects
  • Overlook partial eligibility
  • Underestimate technical challenges

We uncover work that internal teams often dismiss as routine.

2. Maximize Claim Value

We ensure:

  • Full capture of eligible labour
  • Proper inclusion of contractors
  • Accurate cost allocation

3. Strengthen Technical Narratives

The biggest difference between weak and strong claims:

  • Weak: We built new features
  • Strong: We tested multiple approaches because standard methods failed under technical constraints

4. Reduce Audit Risk

Claims are prepared to:

  • Meet CRA SR&ED criteria
  • Withstand technical and financial review
  • Minimize back-and-forth

5. Save Internal Time

Your team focuses on:

  • Building product
  • Running operations

We handle:

  • Documentation
  • Claim preparation
  • CRA communication

Learn more about our approach on our SR&ED services page.

Our Process

We follow a structured, proven approach designed for both value and compliance.

Step 1: Eligibility & Project Identification

  • Deep technical interviews
  • Identification of qualifying work
  • Separation of eligible vs non-eligible activities

Step 2: Technical Documentation

We translate your work into:

  • Clear technological uncertainty
  • Structured experimentation
  • CRA-compliant narratives

Step 3: Financial Analysis

  • Capture all eligible labour
  • Allocate costs correctly
  • Ensure full claim coverage

Step 4: Claim Preparation & Filing

  • Complete T661 and schedules
  • Align technical and financial components
  • Submit with your tax return

Step 5: Audit Support (If Needed)

  • Prepare responses to CRA
  • Support technical discussions
  • Protect claim value

See how this process works in our case studies.

Case Studies

Software Company (SaaS)

  • Initial estimate: $85,000
  • After review: $140,000
  • Increase: +65%

Manufacturing Firm

  • Initial claim: $220,000
  • Optimized claim: $310,000
  • Increase: +41%

AI Startup

  • Missed first-year claim entirely
  • Recovered: $120,000+ retroactively

Explore more results in our case studies.

Why Businesses Choose Henderson & Associates

We do not take a template approach.

What Sets Us Apart

  • Technical-first methodology, not generic tax prep
  • Experience across software, manufacturing, and advanced tech
  • Focus on maximizing claim value, not just filing
  • Built-in audit readiness

What We Consistently Deliver

  • Higher claim values
  • Stronger audit outcomes
  • Clear, defensible documentation

The Real Difference

Most consultants focus on compliance. We focus on outcomes and missed opportunity recovery.

When to Hire an SR&ED Consultant

You should strongly consider hiring if:

  • You are filing your first claim
  • Your claim is $50K+
  • You are unsure what qualifies
  • You want to maximize refund and reduce risk
  • You have under-claimed in the past

Get Started

Most companies do not realize how much they can claim until they see a structured review.

We regularly uncover:

  • Missed eligible work
  • Under-claimed developer time
  • Documentation gaps reducing refunds

A quick assessment can show your true claim potential before you file.

Next Step

You do not need to guess what your SR&ED claim is worth. You can know.

Book a consultation with Henderson & Associates and get a clear breakdown of:

  • What qualifies
  • How much you can claim
  • Where you are leaving money on the table

Start with a conversation before your next filing deadline.