R&D Tax Credits: An Ideal Partnership for Fractional CFOs & FDs

Partnership for Fractional CFOs & FDs

Enhance your advisory impact by reducing the risk or increasing workload

Fractional and part-time CFOs and Finance Directors are increasingly relied upon to unlock funding, optimise tax positions, and guide innovative businesses through growth. R&D Tax Credits are often central to that conversation, but as many are aware, the R&D Tax Credit programme itself – and the new rules around submitting a claim – can be cumbersome.

Partnering with RDP Associates as your specialist R&D Tax Credit provider enables you to offer expert-level support to clients while staying focused on the strategic work they value most.

R&D Tax Credits: High Value, High Complexity

While R&D Tax Credits can deliver substantial cash benefits, they also come with:

  • Evolving legislation and stricter compliance standards
  • Heightened scrutiny from tax authorities
  • Complex eligibility assessments, especially in software and engineering
  • The need for detailed technical narratives and cost analysis

For Fractional CFOs and FDs managing multiple clients, this complexity can quickly become a drain on time and attention.

Why Fractional CFOs choose to Partner

Be the strategist and let the technicians speak among themselves

The general role of CFO or FD is to advise, challenge, and guide for a company instead of focusing on one area of specialist tax. RDP Associates takes responsibility for the specialist execution, including:

  • Determining qualifying R&D activities
  • Carrying out interviews with technical staff utilising our own qualified technical specialists
  • Translating technical work into compliant narratives
  • Preparing robust cost calculations
  • Managing submissions and enquiries

You remain the trusted advisor, with expert delivery happening behind the scenes.

Reduce exposure to compliance and reputational risk

An incorrect or poorly supported R&D Tax Credit claim can damage client trust . With RDP as your specialist partner, we provide the following:

  • An evolving based claim methodology partially  on evidence and experience ensuring the company receives every £ of R&D tax benefits
  • Keeps pace with current guidance and case law
  • Provides documentation and defence in the event of an enquiry

This ensures claims are compliant, maximized, defensible, and sustainable.

Strengthen client relationships

When R&D Tax Credit claims are prepared well, clients generally experience:

  • Faster access to non-dilutive funding
  • Clear explanations of what qualifies and why
  • Confidence during reviews or audits

As an FCFO or FD, you would be viewed as a finance leader who has assembled the right expertise in this specialised area of tax.

Scale your offering without scaling your hours

A partnership model allows you to:

  • Support more innovative clients
  • Avoid becoming the delivery bottleneck
  • Maintain consistent quality across your portfolio

All without adding to the headcount or sacrificing evenings and weekends.

What a strong R&D Tax Credit partnership looks like

RDP Associates will:

  • Integrate seamlessly with your way of working
  • Respect and protect your client relationships
  • Offer transparent fees and clear scopes
  • Provide ongoing support—not just a one-off submission

In short, our goal is to be an extension of your finance function.

Partnership for Fractional CFOs & FDs
Let’s work together

If you advise innovative businesses and want an excellent R&D Tax Credit partner who understands the realities of Fractional CFO and FD work, please get in touch with us and we would be happy to get an understanding what you are seeking and how we can best help.