ADA Tax Incentives for Businesses

Colorado Springs, CO, March 09, 2011 --(PR.com)-- With tax day just around the corner, now is the time for businesses to determine which Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax incentives are available to them. An often overlooked area are tax benefits for businesses working to stay in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“More than 54 million Americans with disabilities make up a huge, nearly untapped market for businesses of all types and sizes. To help businesses welcome customers and employees with disabilities, the IRS offers a variety of incentives,” said Jana Burke, the director of the DBTAC Rocky Mountain ADA Center which provides information, training and informal guidance to individuals and organizations with rights and responsibilities under the ADA.

“Unfortunately many companies miss out on these tax credits and benefits by failing to take advantage of them,” stated Burke. If you own or operate a business, or you are looking for work, you should be aware of the following tax incentives for businesses to help persons with disabilities:

1. Barrier Removal Tax Deduction: Businesses may be able to take an annual deduction for expenses related to removing physical, structural, and transportation barriers for people with disabilities.

2. Disabled Access Credit: This is a nonrefundable tax credit for an eligible small business that pays or incurs expenses to provide access to persons with disabilities. The expenses must be to enable the eligible small business to comply with the ADA.

3. Work Opportunity Credit: This credit provides businesses with an incentive to hire individuals from targeted groups that have a particularly high unemployment rate or other special employment needs. One targeted group consists of vocational rehabilitation referrals. These are individuals who have a physical or mental disability that results in a substantial handicap to employment.

The DBTAC Rocky Mountain ADA Center provides information on the ADA to individuals and organizations in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The Center is one of 10 regional centers funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The Center can guide businesses as they seek to understand their eligibility for these various tax credits, benefits and incentives.

For more information contact the DBTAC Rocky Mountain ADA Center at (800) 949-4232 or visit www.adainformation.org.

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