IRS Presents:Ten Things Tax-Exempt Organizations Need to Know About the Oct. 15 Due Date (This is a how to on keeping your exempt status)
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Stacie says: This tax tip is some particularly good information from the IRS for tax exempt organizations to help them keep their exempt status. The time period to fix your delinquent Form 990 filings for years 2007, 2008 or 2009 will expire on October 15. That’s just a few more days. You are encouraged to take advantage and keep your tax exempt status.
A crucial filing deadline of Oct. 15 is looming for many tax-exempt organizations that are required by law to file their Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service or risk having their federal tax-exempt status revoked. Nonprofit organizations that are at risk can preserve their status by filing returns by Oct. 15, 2010, under a one-time relief program.
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 mandates that most tax-exempt organizations must file an annual return or submit an electronic notice, with the IRS and it also requires that any tax-exempt organization that fails to file for three consecutive years automatically loses its federal tax-exempt status.
Here are 10 facts to help nonprofit organizations maintain their tax-exempt status.
- Small nonprofit organizations at risk of losing their tax-exempt status because they failed to file required returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009 can preserve their status by filing returns by Oct. 15, 2010.
- Among the organizations that could lose their tax-exempt status are local sports associations and community support groups, volunteer fire and ambulance associations and their auxiliaries, social clubs, educational societies, veterans groups, church-affiliated groups, groups designed to assist those with special needs and a variety of others.
- A list of the organizations that were at-risk as of the end of July is posted at IRS.gov along with instructions on how to comply with the new law.
- Two types of relief are available for small exempt organizations — a filing extension for the smallest organizations required to file Form 990-N, Electronic Notice and a voluntary compliance program for small organizations eligible to file Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.
- Small tax-exempt organizations with annual receipts of $25,000 or less can file an electronic notice Form 990-N also known as the e-Postcard. To file the e-Postcard go to the IRS website and supply the eight information items called for on the form.
- Under the voluntary compliance program, tax-exempt organizations eligible to file Form 990-EZ must file their delinquent annual information returns by Oct. 15 and pay a compliance fee.
- The relief is not available to larger organizations required to file the Form 990 or to private foundations that file the Form 990-PF.
- Organizations that have not filed the required information return by the extended Oct. 15 due date will have their tax-exempt status revoked.
- If an organization loses its exemption, it will have to reapply with the IRS to regain its tax-exempt status and any income received between the revocation date and renewed exemption may be taxable.
- Donors who contribute to at-risk organizations are protected until the final revocation list is published by the IRS.
Links:
One-Time Filing Relief for Small Organizations That Failed to File for Three Consecutive Years
Filing Relief/Voluntary Compliance Program – 990-EZ Filers
IR-2010-101: Taxpayers Face Oct. 15 Deadlines: Due Dates for Extension Filers, Non-Profits Approach
YouTube Videos:
Small Tax-Exempt Orgs Revised Deadline: English
Time Is Running Out – Three Deadlines: English
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Stacie says: “Don’t risk your tax-exempt status by not filing your information form.”
WASHINGTON — A crucial filing deadline of May 17 is looming for many tax-exempt organizations that are required by law to file their Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service or risk having their federal tax-exempt status revoked.
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 mandates that all non-profit organizations, other than churches and church related organizations, must file an information form with the IRS. This requirement has been in effect since the beginning of 2007, which made 2009 the third consecutive year under the new law. Any organization that fails to file for three consecutive years automatically loses its federal tax-exempt status.
Form 990-series information returns are due on the 15th day of the fifth month after an organization’s fiscal year ends. Many organizations use the calendar year as their fiscal year, which makes May 15 the deadline for those tax-exempt organizations. May 15 falls on a Saturday this year so the deadline this year is actually Monday, May 17. Organizations can request an extension of their filing date by filing Form 8868 by the original due date.
Absent a request for extension, there is no grace period from filing by the original due date.
Small tax-exempt organizations with annual receipts of $25,000 or less can file an electronic notice Form 990-N (e-Postcard). This asks for a few basic pieces of information. Tax-exempts with annual receipts above $25,000 must file a Form 990 or 990-EZ, depending on their annual receipts. Private foundations file form 990-PF.
Any tax-exempt organization that has not filed the required form in the last three years automatically will lose its tax exempt status effective as of the due date of the annual filing. Under the law, the IRS does not have discretion in this matter.
A list of revoked organizations will be available to the public on IRS.gov.
If an organization loses its exemption, it will have to reapply with the IRS to regain its tax-exempt status. Any income received between the revocation date and renewed exemption may be taxable.
For more information, see the Exempt Organizations: Status Revoked for not Filing Annual Returns or Notices page on this website; or the ABC’s for Exempt Organizations page.
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