Okay,24 "Audit Techniques Guide: Credit for Increasing Research Activities (i.e. Research Tax Credit) IRC § 41* - Qualified Research Expenses | Internal Revenue Service" is a perfect direct IRS source for the definition of QREs. This will be External Link 2.
Now for the remaining external links:
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External Link 3 (Economic Impact/Benefit/Criticism): Something about the economic rationale or effects, or a common criticism. Tax Foundation 23mentions "The R&D tax credit provides an incentive to invest in R&D by allowing companies to claim credits for spending on qualified research expenditures (QREs)." This touches on economic impact. Bloomberg Tax 22also mentions "As a result, American innovation and competitiveness on the international stage has decreased. After previously growing more than 6.5% annually, R&D spending in the U.S. increased only 3.5% over the course of 2022 and decreased in 2023. In response, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers reintroduced the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2025, a bill that mirrors previously introduced legislation. It aims to amend the 1986 IRC code to reinstate immediate R&D expensing so that businesses can deduct research and development expenses in the tax year that they occur." This is a good point for the "Limitations and Criticisms" section. I will use this from Bloomberg Tax 21for an external link on criticism/legislative efforts related to amortization change.
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External Link 4 (Practical Application/Form): Something directly showing how it's claimed, like an IRS form or publication related to claiming the credit. ADP 20mentions "Businesses can claim the R&D Credit by filing IRS Form 6765, Credit for Increasing Research Activities." This is good. I'll search for Form 6765 directly on IRS.gov.
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