Nebraska · Investment / Jobs · NE-IMAGINE-001
ImagiNE Nebraska Investment / Wage Credits
Publication revised September 24, 2026. Sourcebook page 174.
Credit amount / calculation
Manufacturing investment credit generally 5%, increasing to 8% once qualifying investment exceeds $10 million, plus wage credits by program level.
Business fit and eligible activity
Manufacturing expansion can earn investment and wage credits under an approved project. The 2026 law increased specified rates; apply the law and agreement that govern the application date. Hiring, wages or qualifying training; where the program also requires investment, satisfy both tests. Page
Eligibility and practical use
This is the kind of credit that can matter to a capital-intensive mill even when the project adds only a handful of jobs. Logging equipment deserves a separate eligibility check because mobile harvesting property may be treated differently from machinery used at a manufacturing site. Check the approval deadline before signing a purchase order or contract. A binding commitment made too early can disqualify a project.
Illustrative business benefit
If an approved manufacturing project satisfies the applicable job and wage tests and qualifies for a 5% investment rate on $5 million, its investment credit is $250,000 before use limits. Wage credits, if any, are calculated separately.
Timing / first action
Seek approval before starting the overall project, including site work or construction. Contact the administering agency and secure the required approval before the project is publicly or contractually committed.
Official sources
- Nebraska Department of Revenue — ImagiNE Nebraska Act (revenue.nebraska.gov)
Related programs
Microenterprise Tax Credit
20% of increased investment
This credit is aimed below the scale of most headline economic-development programs.
Nebraska Advantage Research and Development Credit
Generally
Qualifying Nebraska research can generate a refundable credit.
Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit
Production credit based on pounds of qualifying renewable
Potentially relevant when wood residuals are converted to qualifying renewable chemicals.
Clean Electricity Investment Credit (Internal Revenue Code §48E)
Generally
Potentially relevant when a forest-products facility owns qualifying zero-emission generation or energy-storage property.
Clean Electricity Production Credit (Internal Revenue Code §45Y)
Production-based
Alternative to the investment credit for owners/operators of qualifying clean-electricity facilities; potentially relevant to qualifying on-site generation.
Credit for Increasing Research Activities (Internal Revenue Code §41)
Regular research-credit method
A sawmill, secondary manufacturer or biomass business can qualify when it performs genuine technological experimentation to improve a product or process.