About the R&D loss tax credit
Research and development (R&D) can be described as a documented project, planned and managed with a specific and identifiable goal. The aim of the R&D loss tax credit is to allow start-up companies with an R&D focus to cash out their tax losses caused by qualifying R&D expenditure. Usually tax losses are carried forward to the next income year, however the R&D loss tax credit allows business losses from eligible R&D expenditure to be cashed out instead of being carried forward. Losses that are cashed out are no longer available to apply against income in future years.
The cash out is administered through the tax system and delivered in the form of a tax credit, therefore referred to as the ‘R&D loss tax credit’. Only the net loss for the year can be cashed out and any losses that cannot be cashed out will be carried forward. Once the company makes a return on their R&D and derives taxable income, the repayments of the R&D loss tax credit will begin to occur.
For income years beginning on or after 1 April 2015, the company may be refunded up to 28% of any tax losses associated with eligible R&D activity if the company is resident in New Zealand.
Company Eligibility
- Be a tax resident in New Zealand
- Have a net loss in the corresponding tax year
- Have eligible R&D expenditure for the income year
- Have sufficient R&D wage intensity
- Meet the corporate eligibility criteria
- Own (solely or jointly) the intellectual property and know-how that results from the R&D activity.
If you are part of a group of companies you may still be eligible as long as the company meets the criteria above and the group as a whole:
- Is in a tax loss postilion, and
- the R&D wage intensity calculation is based on the entire group’s total R&D labour expenditure, divided by the total labour expenditure for the entire group.
A company will not be eligible if it is:
- Treated as a resident of a foreign country or territory under a double tax agreement
- A look through company
- Listed on a recognised exchange (eg: stock exchange)
- 50% or more of the company’s shares are owned by any one, or a combination of
- public authority
- local authority
- crown research institute
- state enterprise
- Established by or subject to:
- the Education Act 1989
- the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000
- the crown Entities Act 2004.