Section 174 Survival Tool
Track Section 174 tax impact before it crushes your runway.
Model your R&D spend, compare immediate deduction vs forced amortization, and quantify the tax bill created by phantom income.
$120k+
common first-year tax shock at $1M R&D
5 years
mandatory amortization timeline to model
10 min
to produce a board-ready forecast
Simple Pricing
$19/month
The Problem
Profitable software companies are getting surprised by large tax bills because R&D deductions are delayed.
The Model
Enter revenue, R&D spend, and growth assumptions to see annual tax shock and cumulative cash drag.
The Outcome
Defend runway, reset hiring plans earlier, and avoid getting blindsided in Q4 tax planning.
Solution
One workflow to plan Section 174 tax impact with confidence
Built for CFOs and founders who need a fast way to quantify tax drag, explain it to leadership, and keep cash planning grounded in reality.
- Calculate year-by-year additional tax caused by amortization lag.
- Visualize cumulative cash impact and runway months lost.
- Save and compare multiple growth and spend scenarios locally.
Simple Pricing
$19/month
FAQ
Why does Section 174 create phantom income?
Your P&L still recognizes R&D as an operating expense, but the IRS now forces most software R&D to be amortized over multiple years. That makes taxable income higher than book income, so profitable teams can owe cash taxes on income that never existed in cash.
Who is this built for?
Finance leads and founders at software companies spending at least $500k on annual R&D who need to understand ongoing tax drag and budget with fewer surprises.
How do I unlock the calculator after payment?
Use the same email from Stripe checkout in the unlock form. Once your payment webhook is received, access is granted through a secure cookie.
Does it replace tax advice?
No. It is a planning and forecasting model. Use it to prepare decisions and then review assumptions with your tax advisor.