R&D Tax Credit Audit Defense
Specialist representation when the IRS or a state agency examines your research credit claim.
Learn More →R&D tax credit audit assistance
Defend the Credit You Claimed — With Files That Survive IDRs.
BLMC is the audit-focused practice of Bate, Levina, Meylan, and Chua. We help companies navigate federal and state R&D tax credit examinations with readiness reviews, documentation support, and precise Information Document Request responses.
Directory hub
Start With the Pages Examiners Care About
Explore our key resources, guides, tools, and program directories — updated August 2026 .
How It Works
From Initial Consultation to Examination Support
Four stages. Our specialists guide you from the initial assessment through preparation, response, and examination resolution.
-
01
Assess Your Situation
Review your business entities, relevant tax years, prior credits, and any active or anticipated IDRs or examinations.
-
02
Review the Documentation
Organize and assess project narratives, wages, contracts, and supporting costs against the documentation examiners typically request.
-
03
Address Gaps or Respond to IDRs
Strengthen documentation before filing, or prepare clear and precise responses when an examination is already underway.
-
04
Support You Through Resolution
Maintain consistency throughout follow-up requests, interviews, and other examination activities until the matter is resolved.
What We Do
Federal and State R&D Audit Assistance
Six specialized service lines focused on examinations, IDR responses, and documentation designed to withstand scrutiny.
IRS IDR Response Support
Organize, draft, and quality-check responses to Information Document Requests on research credit exams.
Learn More →Pre-Audit Readiness Review
Stress-test an existing or planned claim against the evidence standards examiners actually apply.
Learn More →Examination Documentation Support
Turn engineering activity into contemporaneous, examination-ready project narratives and cost support.
Learn More →Federal & State Audit Assistance
Coordinated support when federal and state R&D credit exams overlap or contradict each other.
Learn More →R&D Credit Risk Assessment
Quantify examination exposure across open tax years before a lender, acquirer, or agency does it for you.
Learn More →IDR guides
Navigate Information Document Requests
Short, practical guides for R&D credit exams — indexable pages Google can crawl.
What is an IRS Information Document Request (IDR)?
A plain-language guide to IRS IDRs in R&D tax credit examinations: what they are, why they matter, and how deadlines work.
Read Guide →How to Respond to R&D Tax Credit IDRs
A practical response workflow for IRS IDRs on Section 41 research credit examinations: intake, evidence, drafting, and quality control.
Read Guide →Common R&D Credit IDR Requests (and How to Prepare)
The IDR topics that appear most often on federal R&D tax credit exams, with preparation tips for finance and engineering teams.
Read Guide →Why BLMC
Built for Examination Readiness
We focus on federal and state R&D tax credit examination support, helping businesses prepare documentation and responses that can withstand examiner scrutiny.
Specialized Examination Support
We focus on R&D tax credit examinations, IDR responses, and documentation support.
Evidence Before Optimism
We prioritize defensible documentation and identify weaknesses before they become issues.
IDR Expertise
Guides, checklists, and response support are designed around information typically requested during examinations.
Practical for Finance Teams
Deliverables are structured for CFOs, controllers, and CPA partners who need organized support under deadlines.
What clients get
Four Standards on Every Engagement
-
Audit-First Mindset
Every recommendation is made with examiner scrutiny in mind. Files are structured to support IDR responses and examination requirements—not simply to calculate a credit.
-
One Standard Across Every Practice
BLMC brings together Bate, Levina, Meylan, and Chua, combining technical expertise, documentation support, and coordinated service under one standard.
-
Federal and State Alignment
We help keep positions consistent across jurisdictions so that a state response does not conflict with your federal position, or vice versa.
-
Clear Next Steps
You leave the initial consultation with a clearer understanding of potential exposure, documentation gaps, and whether preparation or active examination support is the appropriate next step.
Who we help
Finance Leaders, CPA Firms, and Companies Facing Examination
CFOs and Controllers
Get a clear view of examination exposure and an organized plan for preparing the required documentation without disrupting core finance operations.
CPA Firms
Add specialized R&D examination support to client engagements without building a dedicated research credit defense team in-house.
Companies Under Examination
Get organized support for IDRs, documentation, and project narratives, with a structured process for responding to examination requests.
FAQ
Common Questions
Straight answers about BLMC, IRS IDRs, and when to engage audit assistance.
Read All Questions →Schedule a Teleconference
A scoping call clarifies exposure, open IDRs, and whether readiness or active defense is the priority.