Accounting for Healthcare & Biotech
Biotech and life sciences companies spend heavily before earning anything, which puts research cost treatment at the centre of the tax picture. Costs that must be capitalised and amortised can create taxable income in a year with no revenue. Blue Sage handles the accounting, the credit analysis, and the reporting investors and grantmakers expect.
What we handle
- Research and development cost capitalisation and amortisation
- R&D credit analysis and contemporaneous documentation
- Grant and award accounting, including restricted funds
- Clinical trial and contract research cost tracking
- Investor and board reporting with burn and runway
- Equity compensation reporting
Who this is for
Biotech companies, medical device developers, diagnostics businesses, and life sciences research organizations.
The capitalisation requirement for research costs is the issue that most often surprises this sector. A pre-revenue company can show taxable income because its largest expense is no longer immediately deductible, and that outcome is much easier to plan for than to react to.
Deadlines and rules worth knowing
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| R&D capitalisation | Research and experimental costs must be capitalised and amortised, over different periods for domestic and foreign work |
| R&D credit | Separate from the deduction treatment. Requires documentation created as the work happens, not reconstructed later. |
| Payroll offset | Certain qualifying small businesses may apply the research credit against payroll taxes rather than income tax |
| Grants | Restricted funding requires separate tracking and may carry its own reporting obligations |
| Contract research | Costs paid to third parties have their own treatment and affect credit calculations |
How we work
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Review what exists
We read last year’s return and whatever records you have. Most of what needs fixing is visible quickly.
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Fixed quote in writing
Scope and price before anything starts, counting entities, states, and any cleanup needed.
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File and maintain
Returns prepared and filed, notices answered, and a projection before year end.
Questions
Why does my pre-revenue company owe tax?
Because research and experimental expenditures must now be capitalised and amortised over a period of years rather than deducted when incurred. A company spending heavily on research with little or no revenue can therefore show taxable income despite negative cash flow. It is a timing issue, but a real one that needs planning for.
Can the R&D credit be used before we have income tax to offset?
Sometimes. Certain qualifying small businesses may elect to apply a portion of the research credit against employer payroll taxes rather than income tax, which makes the credit usable for a company with no taxable income. Eligibility depends on gross receipts history and the election must be made on a timely filed return.
Last reviewed 11 September 2026 by Fahadun Nabi, Founder, Blue Sage Tax and Accounting Inc.. General information, not advice for your specific situation.
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Talk it through before the deadline, not after.
A free consultation call, no obligation, and a fixed quote if you want to go further.