Improved Review Process of SR&ED Notices of Objection for Eligibility Claims
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If you’re frustrated with SR&ED, here is some good news for you: last week, the CRA announced the improvements to the SR&ED Notices of Objection for Eligibility Claims process.
It’s official! The CRA has announced it’s new & improved review process for Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Notices of Objection. In recent months, there have been an increasing number of complaints regarding this process, namely that these are mere formalities and that the issues of eligibility are not addressed (just that the process was correct). Last week, the CRA announced that it had made several major changes to the process, including:
- Additional staff with a broad range of science and engineering expertise has been hired to provide a more specialized review of the issues under objection, and to provide for more timely reviews.
- The reviews are more in-depth, with a greater focus on addressing the SR&ED eligibility issues raised by the claimants in their Notices of Objection.
- The reviews have been expanded to provide for contact between the Agency’s SR&ED Notice of Objection advisors and the SR&EDclaimants. However, it is important to note that these reviews are desk reviews and not second on‑site SR&ED technical reviews.
The CRA has indicated that this improvements means that the review process is now more consistent with it’s other tax programs.
If you are currently undergoing a difficult review or have reached the stage of submitting a Notice of Objection – you’re not out of the woods yet, but at least there is hope as the CRA is making an effort to improve. Be sure to take a look at our three-part series on surviving an SR&ED review.