What if I told you the government owes you money – possibly tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars – and all you have to do is ask for it back? I know - sounds like complete BS. That's exactly what I thought when my buddy Justin Maxwell told me about the R&D Tax Credit while I was speaking at an event. But he made me an offer I couldn't refuse: "Let me do all the work, show you exactly what you'll get back, and you don't pay me a dime unless you keep the money." Within a couple weeks, I had a fat check deposited directly into my bank account. Then more checks after that. Then we went backwards three years and got even more money back. And here's the kicker – this isn't some sketchy loophole. It's a legitimate government incentive designed specifically for business owners like you who are innovating, creating, building, and testing new things in your business. In this episode, Justin Maxwell from Big Life Financial breaks down exactly how the R&D Tax Credit works, who qualifies (spoiler: way more people than you think), and why your accountant probably has no idea this even exists for small businesses. If you're spending money on AI tools, developing new products, creating new systems, testing new technologies, or basically doing anything innovative in your business – you need to listen to this episode. Like, right now. KEY INSIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS Why Nobody Knows About This (And Why Your Accountant Doesn't Either) From 1981 to 2015, the R&D Tax Credit was essentially only for Fortune 500 companies. That's why most accountants still think it's only for engineering firms and people in white lab coats. But the rules changed a decade ago, and small business owners can now tap into this incredible benefit – they just don't know it exists yet. The "Double Dip" That Sounds Illegal But Isn't Here's where it gets insane: You already deduct your business expenses to lower your taxable income, right? Well, the R&D Tax Credit gives you an additional credit on top of that deduction for any money you spend on innovation, development, and qualified research activities. It's literally a dollar-for-dollar write-off of your tax bill – a credit, not just another deduction. You Can Go Backwards Three Years Think about everything you spent money on in 2022, 2023, and 2024 developing new products, testing AI, creating new systems, hiring people to build things. You can amend your returns and get that money back. Mike got multiple direct deposits within weeks of filing. The July 2025 Game-Changer Previously, you had to depreciate the credit over five years. But the new bill passed on July 4th, 2025 changed everything – now you can take the full credit immediately for 2022, 2023, and 2024. Instead of waiting five years to get your money, you get it all at once. We're talking checks hitting your account in 3-6 weeks. Who Actually Qualifies (Probably You) If you're in tech, software, medicine, manufacturing, engineering, science, or any business where you're testing new technologies, creating new protocols, implementing AI, or developing new systems – you likely qualify. One of Justin's clients with just $450K in revenue got $5,000 back. Another with medical practices got $550,000. The range is anywhere from $2K to $500K+. Zero Risk, Zero Upfront Cost Justin's team does all the research, all the work, and tells you exactly what you'll get back before you pay them anything. They only get paid when you get paid. And if the IRS somehow doesn't approve it or takes the money back, they refund everything. There's literally no risk. The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything What Mike loves most about this isn't just the money – it's the permission it gives you to innovate without fear. When you know you'll get a tax credit back even if your experiment fails, you take bigger swings. You hire faster. You test more. You grow. Mike used his R&D credits to hire four new people and expand internationally. It's Not Just For "Lab Coat" Businesses If you're creating courses, building AI workflows, developing new client onboarding systems, testing marketing automation, or prototyping new tools with your team – that counts. The key is documentation: videos, transcripts, proof you paid people, proof you spent the money on qualified activities. TIME STAMPS [00:00:00] This Is Literally Free Money Mike introduces the R&D Tax Credit and why he was initially skeptical when Justin first told him about it.[00:01:39] Why This Credit Was Hidden From You Justin explains the history – how it was created in 1981 for big automakers and why small businesses didn't qualify until 2015.[00:03:14] The Practical Tactical: How The Double Dip Works Breaking down how you can deduct expenses AND get an additional tax credit on top of those same expenses.[00:06:08] Going Backwards In Time For Money How the 3-year lookback works and why Mike got multiple checks by amending past returns.[00:07:20] The July 4th, 2025 Game-Changer The new law that allows you to take the full credit immediately instead of depreciating over 5 years – and how to capture all that money right now.[00:09:04] Don't Self-Disqualify Justin's plea to business owners: stop putting yourself on the outside of the red velvet rope. Let an expert disqualify you, don't do it yourself.[00:11:18] Rethinking Your Business Through The Innovation Lens How working with Justin's team helps you see your business differently and classify activities you didn't realize counted as R&D.[00:13:49] The Permission To Innovate Why the R&D Credit is actually a government-backed de-risking mechanism that gives you permission to experiment and fail.[00:15:46] What Mike Did With His Money How Mike reinvested his R&D credits into marketing, AI tools, and hiring – growing instead of contracting during uncertain times.[00:17:19] The Timeline: How Fast The Money Arrives From filing to direct deposit – Justin breaks down the typical 3-6 week timeline and what to expect.[00:22:18] Real Numbers: $450K Revenue to $550K In Credits Justin shares actual case studies – from a small business getting $5K back to a medical practice owner receiving $390K net after fees.[00:25:27] The Final Offer: Zero Risk, 100% Guarantee Justin's complete breakdown of the risk-free structure – you only pay when you get paid and keep the money.If you've ever felt like the tax code is written by rich people for rich people, this episode will change your mind. The R&D Tax Credit was literally built for small and mid-market business owners who are innovating and taking risks. And if you haven't claimed it yet, you're leaving your money on the IRS's table for no reason. Go to capabilityamplifier.com/tax to schedule a no-obligation consultation with Justin's team and find out exactly how much you qualify for. Trust me on this one. I was skeptical too. Then I got the checks. – Mike
