R&D tax incentive core components
The R&D tax incentive has the following core components:
- For eligible entities with an aggregated turnover of less than $20 million, a refundable tax offset, unless they are controlled by one or more tax exempt entities. The offset is equal to your corporate tax rate plus an additional premium rate of 18.5%.
- For all other eligible entities, a non-refundable tax offset. The offset is equal to your corporate tax rate plus a premium rate based on the level of incremental R&D intensity (the R&D expenditure as a proportion of total expenses). The premium rate is either 8.5% (0-2% intensity) or 16.5% (greater than 2% intensity). An R&D entity's 'intensity' is determined as its notional R&D expenditure as a proportion of total expenditure for the income year.
- If your notional R&D deductions exceed $150 million for an income year, the rate of the R&D tax offset is reduced to the company tax rate for the portion over $150 million.
Part E helps you work out:
- which offset you are entitled to
- the amount of R&D tax offset you claim at item 21 Research and development tax incentive in the Company tax return 2024.
For more information, see Refundable and non-refundable tax offsets.
Item 1 Additional information
Write your corporate tax rate at item 1 Tax rate – label R. This will be either:
- 25% if you are a base rate entity
- 30% for all other companies.
Item 2 Refundable R&D tax offset
If you answered No to Part D items 1 and 2 and your notional deductions calculated under Part A item 11 – label Z total $20,000 or more, you can claim the refundable R&D tax offset.
If your notional deductions calculated under Part A item 11 – label Z total less than $20,000, then you are only entitled to a tax offset for notional deductions in relation to expenditure under Part A items 1A and 1B R&D expenditure – Research service provider (RSP) and Part A items 9Q and 9R Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) contributions.
Work out your refundable R&D tax offset
Step 1: Determine the amount to show at label Z1
Write at Z1 Total notional R&D deductions the amount you show in Part A item 11 Total notional R&D deductions – label Z.
Step 2: Calculate your initial offset amount
If the amount at label Z1 is:
- $150 million or less, multiply the amount at label Z1 by your corporate tax rate plus 18.5% – this is your offset amount
- greater than $150 million
- multiply $150 million by your corporate tax rate plus 18.5%
- multiply the excess over $150 million by your corporate tax rate
- the total of these 2 amounts is your offset amount.
Write your refundable tax offset at item 2 Refundable R&D tax offset – label U. Transfer this amount to the Company tax return 2024 at item 21 Refundable R&D tax offset – label U.
You don't need to complete item 3.
Item 3 Non-refundable R&D tax offset
If you answered Yes to Part D item 1 or item 2 and your notional deductions calculated under Part A item 11 – label Z total $20,000 or more, you can only claim the non-refundable R&D tax offset.
If your notional deductions calculated under Part A item 11 – label Z total less than $20,000, then you are only entitled to a tax offset for notional deductions for expenditure under Part A items 1A and 1B R&D expenditure – Research service provider (RSP) and Part A items 9Q and 9R Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) contributions.
Write at Z2 Total notional R&D deductions the amount shown at Part A item 11 – label Z.
Work out the non-refundable R&D tax offset
Step 1: Work out the R&D entity total expenses
- start with the amount you show in the Company tax return 2024 at item 6 Total expenses – label Q, subtract any amount that was already included at item 6 – label Q in a prior year
- subtract the amount you show in the Company tax return 2024 at item 7 Accounting expenditure in item 6 subject to R&D tax incentive – label D
- add the amount you show at Part A item 11 Total notional R&D deductions (X plus Y) – label Z in this Research and development tax incentive schedule 2024, subtract any amount that was included at item 11 – label Z in a prior year.
Write this amount at item 3 R&D entity total expenses – label V.
Step 2: Determine your label Z2 amount
If your item Z2 Total notional R&D deductions are:
- less than or equal to $150 million, Z2 is your step 2 amount
- greater than $150 million
- $150 million is your step 2 amount
- your notional deductions amount subtract $150 million is your C1 amount.
Step 3: Work out the amount to show at item 3 R&D intensity – label W
- Divide your step 2 amount by your step 1 amount to 4 decimal places.
- Multiply the result by 100 – to express it as a percentage to 2 decimal places.
- Write the percentage at item 3 R&D intensity – label W.
Step 4: Populate the notional deductions applied column A1 and B1
If your step 3 percentage is 2% or less, show your step 2 amount at A1.
If your step 3 percentage is greater than 2%:
- at A1, write your R&D entity total expenses multiplied by 2%
- at B1, write your step 2 amount minus the amount at A1.
Step 5: Working out A2, B2 and C2
- To work out A2, multiply A1 by the total of item 1 Tax rate – label R plus 8.5%.
- To work out B2 if you have an amount at B1, multiply B1 by the total of item 1 Tax rate – label R plus 16.5%.
- To work out C2 if you have an amount at C1, multiply C1 by item 1 Tax rate – label R.
Step 6: Add up the amounts at A2, B2 and C2
Write the total at item 3 Non-refundable R&D tax offset – label A.
Write your non-refundable tax offset at item 3 Non-refundable R&D tax offset – label A. Transfer this amount to the Company tax return 2024 at item 21 Non-refundable R&D tax offset – label A.
Continue to: Taxpayer's declaration and lodgment