How Accessibility Improvements Can Save You Money and Protect You from Lawsuits
Overview: Unlock Tax Benefits with Accessibility Improvements
Many U.S. businesses remain unaware that improving website accessibility can not only protect them from costly ADA lawsuits but also potentially qualify them for valuable tax credits. Under IRS Section 44, eligible small businesses can claim up to $5,000 in tax credits for making digital content accessible to individuals with disabilities. These improvements go beyond compliance – they help reduce legal risk and create financial savings.
The Goal: Make Accessibility Work for You
The goal: Leverage the Disabled Access Credit to save money, enhance your website, and reduce your legal risk – all while ensuring your online services are accessible to a broader audience.
By enhancing website accessibility – whether through screen reader compatibility, improved keyboard navigation, or adding captions – you can meet ADA standards and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), unlock tax benefits, and expand your reach to users who rely on assistive technologies.
Key Insight: How It Works
Website accessibility improvements, such as optimizing for screen readers, adding captions to videos, improving keyboard navigation, and making forms more accessible, may qualify for a tax credit under the Disabled Access Credit (IRC Section 44).
Eligible businesses can claim up to 50% of expenses over $250, with a maximum credit of $5,000 per year. This can include costs for technical updates like fixing code for screen-reader compatibility, adding captions, or making forms usable for all users.
Additional Benefits:
- Reduced Legal Risk: Proactively fixing accessibility issues can help protect your business from costly ADA-related lawsuits, which often result in legal fees, settlements, and rushed remediation – all of which are far more expensive than planned accessibility updates.
- Wider Audience Reach: Accessibility improvements can expand your business’s reach by allowing individuals with visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive, and neurological disabilities to engage with your services.
Solution: How to Take Advantage of This Opportunity
Taking advantage of the Disabled Access Credit is straightforward, but it requires careful planning and documentation:
- Evaluate Your Website: Start by assessing your website’s accessibility. You can do this using accessibility scanning tools, or by working with accessibility experts to identify gaps.
- Make Qualified Improvements:
- Screen reader compatibility
- Keyboard navigation improvements
- Accessible forms
- Adding captions to videos
These are examples of updates that may qualify for the credit under Section 44. Keep in mind that all accessibility improvements need to address real barriers for users with disabilities.
- Claim the Disabled Access Credit:
- Businesses can claim the credit using IRS Form 8826, a straightforward process for eligible small businesses.
- Ensure you keep detailed records: invoices, descriptions of improvements, before-and-after documentation, and proof of payment are all essential for substantiating your claim.
At GetADAAlert, we provide website scanning tools to identify accessibility issues, consulting services to guide you through remediation, and ongoing monitoring to help ensure long-term compliance. Our goal is to help businesses not only become ADA-compliant but also take full advantage of available tax incentives.
Take Action Now: Improve Accessibility and Save
Website accessibility isn’t just about avoiding legal risk – it’s an opportunity to improve your user experience, expand your customer base, and reduce your business expenses through tax credits. Now is the time to act before an ADA lawsuit or missed opportunity costs your business more than it should.
Take action today:
- Run an accessibility scan on your website to identify potential barriers.
- Schedule a consultation with us to ensure your website is fully compliant and ready for the Disabled Access Credit.
Learn how you can qualify for the Disabled Access Credit and make your website accessible for everyone.
