Getting Up to $5000 Tax Credit When Your Website Meets Accessibility Standards
Making your website more accessible is a sensible business practice, but did you know it can also get you a big tax credit? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 created regulations meant to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities. To this end, the many branches of government work together to encourage accessibility for citizens with disabilities. One such opportunity is a big tax credit when your website meets accessibility standards.
In this brief article brought to you by iBoost Web, we explore this chance to upgrade your website and get a tax credit while you’re at it. We will touch on the requirements and availability, but it is always advisable to consult with an attorney and/or accountant for personalized and professional guidance.
Opportunities Introduce Possibilities
People with disabilities navigate the web in different ways. People who are blind may rely on screen readers or devices that speak the text that appears on a screen; people who are deaf or hard of hearing may use captioning; And people whose disabilities affect their ability to grasp and use a mouse may use voice recognition software to control their computers and other devices with verbal commands.
Sadly, not every website provides these accessibility services. The ADA of 1990 was created to encourage and assist businesses in delivering these opportunities for citizens.
Ways to Make Your Website ADA-Compliant
The Department of Justice (DOJ) does not have a regulation that sets out detailed standards, but the DOJ’s longstanding interpretation of the general nondiscrimination and effective communication provisions applies to web accessibility.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division does provide some guidance on website accessibility. Some common website accessibility barriers the website mentions include:
- Poor color contrast. People with limited vision or color blindness cannot read text if there is not enough contrast between the text and the background.
- Use of color alone to give information. People who are color-blind may not have access to information when that information is conveyed using only color cues because they cannot distinguish certain colors from others.
- No captions on videos. People with hearing disabilities may not be able to understand information communicated in a video if the video does not have captions.
As you can imagine, there are many T’s to cross, I’s to dot, and points to touch. Luckily, the tax benefits offer great incentive to invest money in professional assistance. To assist businesses with complying with the ADA, Section 44 of the IRS Code allows a tax credit for small businesses and Section 190 of the IRS Code allows a tax deduction for all businesses. This credit can cover 50% of the eligible access expenditures in a year up to $10,250 (maximum credit of $5000).
Take Advantage of Your Tax Credit
It’s in a business’s best interest to draw as many prospective clients and customers as possible. There are also moral and legal imperatives to make your website as accessible as possible. You don’t have to spend hours or days to run through a checklist.
Professionals like iBoost Web can install and get rolling a website accessibility software that evaluates the website’s accessibility rating, and our technicians make sure everything is according to standard. Plus, our accessibility software starts at $75/mo with easy & free installation. Call iBoost Web to consult with a knowledgeable representative today.
