KNOWYOURFEES.ORG
A Swanson Reed Initiative | R&D Tax Advisory Fee & Compliance Guidance
KnowYourFees.org is a free educational resource, published by Swanson Reed, that promotes transparency, ethical billing, and compliance integrity in the research and development (R&D) tax credit advisory market. It explains how R&D tax advisers structure their fees so businesses can evaluate engagement terms with more clarity before signing a contract.
Written for business owners, CFOs, tax directors, and CPAs, the site explains how advisory fee models relate to claim quality and regulatory scrutiny. It covers fixed versus contingent fee structures, contract clauses worth questioning, and gaps in audit defense coverage, and it gives taxpayers practical questions to ask any prospective adviser. Guidance is provided for the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Ownership disclosure: KnowYourFees.org is operated and funded by Swanson Reed (SR Tax Services LLC), an R&D tax advisory firm that competes with other advisers. The site does not recommend any adviser, including Swanson Reed.
Four Core Areas of Guidance
By examining how billing incentives, contract terms, and regulatory compliance interact, KnowYourFees.org helps businesses evaluate R&D tax advisers across four areas:
1. Transparent R&D Advisory Fee Structures
How an R&D tax adviser is paid affects both the true cost of a claim and its risk profile. KnowYourFees.org breaks down common advisory pricing models into clear, practical guidance.
- Contingent vs. Fixed Fee Analysis: Compare percentage-based contingent fees with fixed, time-based, or milestone billing, and see how each affects the total cost of a claim.
- Regulatory Considerations: Understand how rules such as Treasury Department Circular 230 in the United States, professional ethics codes, and equivalent requirements in other jurisdictions treat contingent fee arrangements, and how that treatment can differ between original returns and amended returns or refund claims.
2. Due Diligence & Pre-Engagement Questions
Signing an R&D advisory engagement letter without careful review can commit a business to multi-year obligations or to claim positions it is not comfortable defending. The site sets out questions taxpayers can ask before engaging any adviser.
- Contract Terms to Question: Learn how to spot automatic multi-year renewals, right-of-first-refusal clauses, and additional administrative charges before committing.
- Credential & Preparation Transparency: Ask who actually prepares and signs off on the technical and financial documentation, and whether qualified engineers, CPAs, or tax attorneys review it.
3. Audit Liability & Risk Allocation
If a tax authority reduces or disallows an R&D tax credit claim, the taxpayer is generally responsible for any additional tax, interest, and penalties, even where an adviser prepared the claim. KnowYourFees.org helps businesses clarify audit responsibilities before an engagement begins.
- Audit Defense Inclusion: Check whether examination support is included in the base advisory fee or billed separately, for example at hourly rates, during an inquiry.
- Fee Refund & Clawback Provisions: Review how an engagement letter handles fee refunds if a credit is reduced or disallowed on examination.
4. Ethical Standards & Independent Evaluation
Transparent fee structures strengthen the integrity of the wider R&D tax credit market. KnowYourFees.org reflects the same commitment to transparency and defensible claims that underpins Swanson Reed’s Research Credit Integrity initiative.
- Practical Benchmarking Tools: Fee comparison calculators, proposal scorecards, and engagement letter checklists help internal finance teams compare proposals from any adviser against consistent criteria.
- Neutral Guidance: The site’s guides apply equally to every adviser, including Swanson Reed. A warning sign is a reason to ask more questions, not proof that anything is wrong.
KnowYourFees.org is operated and funded by Swanson Reed (SR Tax Services LLC). Content on KnowYourFees.org and on this page is general information only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. It does not create an adviser-client relationship, and it does not take into account your particular circumstances. Tax rules differ by jurisdiction and change over time; consult a qualified professional before acting. KnowYourFees.org does not recommend or endorse any adviser, including Swanson Reed.
