State incentives help make your move to DeKalb worthwhile

Small businesses, large businesses … R&D enterprises … companies on the move … all may enjoy one or more tax credits from the state as incentives for moving to or expanding in DeKalb. Here are a few examples:

Job tax credit: If your company is headquartered in DeKalb and creates 25 or more jobs, you may receive a $1,250 job tax credit. The credit applies to any business (or headquarters of any business) engaged in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing, telecommunications, tourism or research and development industries. Retail businesses are excluded. More: Georgia Department of Community Affairs, 404.679.4825 or 404.679.1585

Retraining tax credit: If you’re retraining employees to use new equipment, technology or operating systems, you may claim as much as 50 percent of the associated costs as a tax credit – up to $500 per employee per approved retraining program per year. More: Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, 404.679.1703.

R&D tax credit: Georgia encourages in-state research, so the state offers a tax credit for certain expenses associated with research and development conducted within Georgia. Contact the Georgia Department of Revenue, Income Tax Division to learn more. The credit applies to any business (or headquarters of any business) engaged in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing, telecommunications, tourism or research and development industries. More: 404-417-2400.

Investment tax credit: If your company invests $50,000 or more to expand either a manufacturing or telecommunication support facility in DeKalb, you may qualify for a 1 percent credit against income tax liability. (You must have operated the facility in the state for the previous three years.) It gets better: If that facility is involved in defense conversion activities, the credit increases to 3 percent. More: Georgia Department of Community Affairs, 404-679-4825 or 404-679-1585

Small business (fast growth) tax credit: If your small business has a “net taxable growth” of 20 percent or more each year for three straight years, you may qualify for an income tax credit of up to 50 percent of your remaining Georgia income tax liability (after all other credits have been applied in a given year). The credit is available to companies whose total tax liability does not exceed $1.5 million. More: Georgia Department of Revenue, Income Tax Division, 404.417.2400.

Corporate headquarters tax credit: Companies establishing or relocating their headquarters in Georgia are eligible to receive an income tax credit of $5,000 per job per year for five years – provided, that is, that the new jobs pay twice the average wage rate in DeKalb County. A $2,500 tax credit is available if the wages are greater than the county average. To qualify for the credit, your company must also create 50 or more jobs and invest $1 million. Note: If you receive this credit, you may not also receive the job tax credit or the investment tax credit.