A tax credit can reduce tax liability, but a list of credit names does not establish eligibility. Check the tax year, qualifying activity, employer conditions and supporting records before including a credit in your forecast. This US federal overview was reviewed in September 2026.
Retirement plan startup costs
Eligible employers may qualify for a credit of up to $5,000 annually for three years for qualifying retirement plan startup costs. Employee-count rules, plan history and participation conditions apply. The IRS startup credit guidance also explains that the same startup costs cannot both receive the credit and be deducted.
Keep provider invoices, plan documents and employee eligibility information together. Ask the plan provider and tax adviser to confirm the calculation rather than treating the maximum as a promised refund.
Small business health care coverage
The small business health care credit has conditions involving workforce size, average wages, employer premium contributions and generally SHOP coverage. The rules use full-time equivalents, so employee headcount alone is insufficient.
Gather coverage details, premium payments and payroll information. Check the current tax-year instructions for thresholds and limitations rather than reusing a wage figure from an old article.
Employer-provided childcare: changed for 2026
For qualifying amounts paid or incurred after December 31, 2025, the IRS describes a credit of 40% of qualified childcare expenditures, or 50% for eligible small businesses, plus 10% of qualified resource and referral expenditures. The annual maximum is $500,000, or $600,000 for eligible small businesses; specific qualification rules apply.
Do not substitute those percentages into a 2025 return. Keep the expenditure dates and supporting agreements clear, and have the business's eligibility checked before projecting a benefit.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit: check the employee start date
The IRS states that the work opportunity credit does not apply to employees beginning work after December 31, 2025. Do not budget for this as a general credit for new 2026 hires. Earlier qualifying activity requires its own review of the relevant rules and records.
Other credits need a separate eligibility review
Industry-specific activities, research, accessibility improvements and other programs can involve detailed rules. Ask an adviser which current programs match your actual operations. A credit mentioned in a software suggestion or an old checklist should be a research question, not an entry automatically added to the return.
Build a claim file before filing
For each potential credit, record the applicable tax year, qualifying activity, calculation owner and source of the eligibility conclusion. Collect contracts, payroll or benefit records, invoices and payment evidence as required. Keep costs distinguishable so the preparer can check whether claiming a credit affects a deduction.
Receiptor AI helps with the document portion: automatic email extraction, historical recovery, legal entity distinction and duplicate handling. It can connect reviewed receipts and invoices to Xero or QuickBooks. It does not certify eligibility or file a credit claim.
Recheck the official instructions when preparing the return. A clean evidence trail makes that review easier and prevents a headline benefit from being mistaken for an entitlement.
