Carli McDonald, JD

Carli is the partner-in-charge of Aprio’s national R&D Tax Credit practice. Carli has dedicated the last six years to performing R&D Tax Credit studies for clients in a variety of industries, with a specialty in the manufacturing and technology industries. She has worked to prepare R&D Tax Credits for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 businesses, performing technical interviews with subject matter experts, calculating complex credits and preparing technical reports.

Carli combines a holistic approach to calculating and substantiating R&D Credits with a promptness and accessibility above the norm. She regularly finds ways to save her clients additional money that they can reinvest into their businesses. Each year, Carli and her team help clients across the U.S. receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax savings.

Carli also has experience calculating credits for clients with multi-year or military contracts, complex controlled groups or international structures, and internal use software. Through her work with the Georgia state credit, she has extensive experience helping clients apply their R&D Credits against payroll withholding.

Carli frequently gives educational presentations to startup companies highlighting the benefits of the R&D Tax Credit. She regularly speaks at venues like the Atlanta Tech Village, FourAthens and the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech. Carli also provides webinars and seminars on R&D Tax Credits, including learn and learns for CPE/CLE to partner law and accounting firms.

She received a B.S. in English Literature from Vanderbilt University, and a J.D. and Masters in Taxation from Georgia State University. Carli’s professional and civic affiliations include:

• State Bar of Georgia
• Atlanta Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Chattahoochee Nature Center – Board of trustees
• Zoo Atlanta – Leadership Council