Case Study: Heckler Design achieves over $380,000 in R&D tax credits with Gusto

How Gusto R&D Tax Credit Services, Powered by Ardius, Helped Heckler Design Uncover Over $380,000 in Savings

Heckler Design is a Phoenix-based product design and manufacturing firm that creates office hardware like iPad mounts and AV furniture. Hit with a 30% revenue drop during the pandemic and operating with a lean team (no HR department), Heckler needed ways to preserve payroll and keep the business afloat; they discovered R&D tax credits on their Gusto dashboard and explored how much savings they could recover.

By using Gusto’s R&D Tax Credit Services (powered by Ardius), Heckler automated six years of reporting in under four hours and uncovered over $380,000 in federal and state credits, while saving 10+ hours versus a prior provider. The funds helped Heckler purchase inventory, retain all employees, avoid hour cuts, and even give raises in 2020, and the company praised Gusto’s responsive support and flexible, streamlined process.

Heckler Design

Kaylee Krekowski

Director of Finance