Swanson Reed
Swanson Reed is a U.S. specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm that prepares, documents, and defends 1,500+ R&D tax credit claims annually for SMBs, startups, and CPA-referred clients across all 50 states, supported by proprietary AI tools (TaxTrex, creditARMOR) and a CPA/CFP referral network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersFort Worth, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Swanson Reed does
Swanson Reed is a privately held U.S. specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm founded in 1984 (originally as Reed & Co. by J.W. Norris) and led today by CEO Damian Smyth. The firm exclusively prepares, documents, and defends R&D tax credit claims for small and medium-sized businesses, startups, and CPA/CFP-referred clients across all 50 states, filing 1,500+ submissions annually through three regional offices (Oklahoma City, Nashville, Columbia) and a national webinar/booking funnel.
Its core technology stack is anchored by two proprietary AI-branded products: TaxTrex, an AI language model that prepares R&D tax credit claims in roughly 90 minutes by applying NLP to the IRS Four-Part Test, and creditARMOR, an AI-driven audit risk management and insurance platform covering CPA, tax attorney, and specialist consultant defense fees. Supporting tools include an Eligibility Wizard AI Tool, an AI Project Summary Generator, and a suite of calculators and trackers (R&D Credit Calculator, Deadline Calculator, Substantiation Tracker, Audit Checklist). A proprietary 'six-eye review' methodology — each claim reviewed by a Qualified Engineer, Scientist, and Enrolled Agent or CPA — is the operational quality backbone. The firm also publishes inventionINDEX, a macroeconomic innovation tracker correlating patent production with GDP growth.
Swanson Reed generates revenue through a hybrid model: professional services billed at $195–$395 per hour (with fixed and success fees available), audit defense and advisory engagements, creditARMOR audit insurance as a managed-service layer, TaxTrex/DIY R&D Credit Software as self-serve/PLG offerings, and a NASBA-certified daily webinar program delivering free CPE/CE credits that feeds a CPA/CFP referral network across all 50 states. Adjacent offerings include refundable R&D credits for startups, R&D tax credit loans, and Global R&D Tax Credit Services across Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.
Swanson Reed firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Swanson Reed
- Legal name
- Swanson Reed
- Website
- https://swansonreed.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Swanson Reed is a U.S. specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm that prepares, documents, and defends 1,500+ R&D tax credit claims annually for SMBs, startups, and CPA-referred clients across all 50 states, supported by proprietary AI tools (TaxTrex, creditARMOR) and a CPA/CFP referral network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Swanson Reed industry classification
Industry- Product category
- R&D Tax Credit Advisory
- NAICS
- Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Debt Advisory & Financing Advisory (FSAEAGAD)
Keywords
Where Swanson Reed is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Worth
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Swanson Reed business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- R&D Tax Credit Preparation Services: Core service providing end-to-end R&D tax credit claim preparation including documentation, IRS compliance review, and submission preparation. Manages all facets of the R&D tax credit claim process for both federal and state filings across all 50 states.
- Audit Defense and Advisory: IRS and state audit advisory services for clients whose R&D tax credit claims are selected for examination. Includes defense strategy development, IRS negotiation support, and audit representation.
- R&D Audit Insurance (creditARMOR): R&D tax credit audit management tool providing insurance coverage for defense expenses including CPA, tax attorney, and specialist consultant fees during IRS audits.
- DIY R&D Credit Software (TaxTrex): Self-service AI-powered software solution allowing companies to prepare their own R&D tax credit claims using proprietary AI technology that can prepare claims in under 90 minutes.
- Educational Webinars and CPE Credits: Free educational webinars for CPAs, CFPs, and SMBs providing continuing professional education credits while generating leads for R&D tax credit services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Hourly Rate Structure |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Swanson Reed product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Swanson Reed is a specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm that prepares, documents, and files federal and state R&D tax credit claims for businesses across all 50 U.S. states. The firm also offers audit defense and advisory, R&D audit insurance, refundable R&D credit services for startups, R&D tax credit loans, global R&D advisory, and a DIY AI-powered claim preparation software (TaxTrex). Complementary offerings include creditARMOR audit insurance and the inventionINDEX macroeconomic innovation tracker.
Product overview
Swanson Reed is a specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of services and proprietary software products. The core offering centers on R&D tax credit claim preparation and audit defense services, supported by two flagship AI-powered products: TaxTrex (an AI language model that prepares claims in 90 minutes) and creditARMOR (an R&D tax credit audit insurance platform). Additional tools include the DIY R&D Credit Software for self-service claims, the inventionINDEX proprietary innovation metric, and various calculators and trackers (R&D Credit Calculator, Deadline Calculator, Substantiation Tracker, Audit Checklist Tool). The company provides state-specific webinars and CPE credits for CPAs across all 50 US states, along with global coverage through regional offices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- inventionINDEX: Proprietary macroeconomic data tracker that correlates global patent production with GDP growth to provide insights into the innovation economy
- TaxTrex
- creditARMOR
Products and services
- R&D Tax Credit Preparation End-to-end R&D tax credit claim preparation service for U.S. businesses covering documentation, calculation, IRS compliance review, and submission of federal and state R&D tax credit claims across all 50 states, delivered by a multidisciplinary team of CPAs, engineers, and scientists.
- Refundable R&D Tax Credit Services Specialized R&D tax credit advisory for startups and early-stage companies to access refundable federal and state R&D tax credits, helping offset R&D costs against payroll tax liabilities.
- Audit Defense and Advisory IRS and state audit advisory services for clients whose R&D tax credit claims are selected for examination, including defense strategy development, IRS negotiation support, audit representation, and coordination of CPAs, tax attorneys, and specialist consultants.
- R&D Audit Insurance (creditARMOR) R&D tax credit audit insurance and AI-driven risk management service that mitigates audit exposure by covering defense expenses including CPA, tax attorney, and specialist consultant fees during IRS audits.
- R&D Tax Credit Loans Loan products providing early access to funds tied to anticipated R&D tax credit refunds, enabling businesses to monetize credits before official IRS processing.
- DIY R&D Credit Software (TaxTrex) Self-service AI-powered SaaS platform that enables businesses to prepare their own R&D tax credit claims in approximately 90 minutes using natural language processing, guided workflows, and automated calculation aligned to the IRS Four-Part Test.
- Global R&D Tax Credit Services International R&D tax credit advisory services for multinational companies seeking to claim R&D and innovation incentives across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,500+ R&D tax credit submissions per year
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Swanson Reed
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Swanson Reed technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Swanson Reed partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Swanson Reed competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CBIZ: National business advisory firm providing tax, R&D credit, and consulting services to SMBs and mid-market clients. Directly comparable on R&D tax credit services delivered as part of a broader advisory portfolio.
- RSM US: Top-tier accounting firm with a dedicated R&D tax credit practice targeting mid-market companies. Overlapping service offering with broader advisory and consulting capabilities.
- BDO USA: Large U.S. accounting and advisory firm with an established R&D tax credit services group. Competes for the same SMB-to-mid-market R&D credit engagements as part of a full-service advisory suite.
- KPMG R&D Tax Credits: Big 4 firm with R&D tax credit advisory services primarily for mid-market and enterprise clients. Direct capability overlap; differs by scale and the breadth of its overall tax practice.
- EY R&D Tax Credits: Big 4 firm with a dedicated R&D tax credit practice serving mid-market and enterprise clients. Competes for the same R&D credit engagements but offers a much broader tax and advisory portfolio.
- Deloitte R&D Tax Credits: Big 4 firm with significant R&D tax credit capabilities, often bundled with broader audit and tax services. Competes for enterprise and mid-market R&D credit work as part of a wider portfolio.
Direct peers
- Alliant Group: Historically one of the largest U.S. specialist R&D tax credit advisory firms, serving SMBs and mid-market companies across federal and state credits. Direct competitor in the same niche with overlapping customer segments.
- CalExpert Group: Specialist R&D tax credit preparation and audit defense firm focused on California and other state credits. Closely comparable boutique specialist competing for the same SMB and CPA-referred clients.
- Nexus Tax Credits: Boutique R&D tax credit advisory firm serving SMBs and startups with federal and state credit preparation. Direct niche competitor with similar CPA referral-driven GTM.
Others
- GrantNinja Funding: R&D tax credit and government grant funding platform. Thematically adjacent: Swanson Reed offers an R&D Tax Credit Loans/GrantNinja-style funding product, and the platform competes for similar SMB clients seeking non-dilutive R&D financing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Swanson Reed social profiles
Digital presenceSwanson Reed compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Swanson Reed financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Swanson Reed leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Swanson Reed funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Swanson Reed M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Swanson Reed
What does Swanson Reed do?
Swanson Reed is a specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm that prepares, documents, and files federal and state R&D tax credit claims for businesses across all 50 U.S. states. The firm also offers audit defense and advisory, R&D audit insurance, refundable R&D credit services for startups, R&D tax credit loans, global R&D advisory, and a DIY AI-powered claim preparation software (TaxTrex). Complementary offerings include creditARMOR audit insurance and the inventionINDEX macroeconomic innovation tracker.
Is Swanson Reed a public or private company?
Swanson Reed is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Swanson Reed founded?
Swanson Reed was founded in 1984.
Where is Swanson Reed based?
Swanson Reed is headquartered in Fort Worth, United States, in the North America region.
How does Swanson Reed make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. R&D Tax Credit Preparation Services are the primary driver. The others are audit Defense and Advisory, R&D Audit Insurance (creditARMOR), DIY R&D Credit Software (TaxTrex) and educational Webinars and CPE Credits.
Who are Swanson Reed's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CBIZ, RSM US, BDO USA, KPMG R&D Tax Credits, EY R&D Tax Credits and Deloitte R&D Tax Credits. Direct peers are Alliant Group, CalExpert Group and Nexus Tax Credits. GrantNinja Funding is listed as an others.
Does Swanson Reed have an API?
No public API is recorded for Swanson Reed.
What industry is Swanson Reed in?
Swanson Reed's product category is R&D Tax Credit Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAGAD, Debt Advisory & Financing Advisory. Its NAICS code is 522.