Compliance

SR&ED Year-End: How to Avoid the Last-Minute Scramble

Don't wait until year-end to prepare your SR&ED claim. Build documentation habits throughout the year so you can file confidently and maximize your refund.

SREDY.IO · Editorial Team 2026-06-20 5 min read

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The year-end scramble problem

Most Canadian companies discover SR&ED at year-end. They rush to reconstruct a year's worth of documentation from memory, git logs, and email threads. The result is a weaker claim with higher CRA review risk.

The strongest claims are built on contemporaneous records — documentation created as the work happened. Reconstructed records are accepted but attract more scrutiny. The gap in credibility is one of the most significant risk factors in SR&ED claims.

Build the habit year-round

  • Monthly: review what qualifying work happened and update project logs
  • Quarterly: use guided software to build narrative drafts incrementally
  • At fiscal year-end: finalize financial schedules and review documentation completeness
  • Before filing deadline: have your CPA review and file with the T2
The 5-minute weekly habit

Once per week, note what technical uncertainty the team addressed, what was tried, and what was learned. Five minutes per week creates a year of defensible documentation.

deadlines year-end documentation habits

Ready to turn this into a claim?

Check whether your work qualifies, estimate the possible credit, or preview the package your CPA would review.

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Useful next steps

SR&ED eligibility checklist → Refund estimator → Sample T661 package → Documentation guide →

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Ready to check if your work qualifies? Take the free eligibility assessment.

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