Chairman Wyden, Ranking Member Crapo, and distinguished Members of the Committee, thank you very much for the opportunity to submit written comments in response to your important hearing to discuss the effect of the U.S. tax code on domestic manufacturing.
My name is Dean A. Zerbe and I am alliantgroup’s National Managing Director based in Washington, D.C. alliantgroup serves a broad spectrum of clients, from start-ups to the largest Fortune 1,000 companies in nearly every industry. Our professionals consist of CPAs (including former partners at “Big Four” accounting firms) and attorneys, in addition to individuals from a wide array of disciplines. alliantgroup works with businesses and their CPA firms to identify powerful, government-sponsored, cash-generating credits, incentives, and deductions. As background, I had the honor to serve as Senior Counsel and Tax Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee from 2001-2008.
I want to thank all of the Committee members for bringing forward this critically important discussion. The effect that the tax code, particularly the Research and Development Tax Credit (R&D Credit), has on American businesses cannot be understated. Even more so, the potential this tax incentive has for growing important businesses in the U.S. to compete globally is vast. The Finance Committee, under the current leadership and under the previous leadership of Chairman Grassley, has been a strong advocate for the R&D Credit and ensuring that the credit works for small and medium businesses (SMBs). I particularly commend the Finance Committee for championing changing the law to allow SMBs to take the R&D Credit against AMT, a seemingly small change that has made an enormous difference for thousands of innovative SMBs to utilize and benefit from the R&D Credit that translated into a great number of good jobs at good wages for many Americans. The Finance Committee now has the chance to build on its excellent work.
