Form 990 (Schedule A). Organization Exempt Under Section 501(C)(3: Fill & Download for Free

Private Foundations file a Form 990PF. Public Charities file a Form 990. Both may need to file a Form 990T if they have Unrelated Business Taxable Income (UBTI).The Form 990PF is filed on the 15th day of the 5th month following the year end of the foundation. For a December 31 year end foundation, it would file by May 15th of the following year. The Form 990PF filing deadline can be extended for 3 months and then for another 3 months. Many private foundations have fiscal years that are different from the standard calendar year.What is Form 990 or 990-PF? How can I learn about using them?The Form 990PF and Form 990 are governed by IRS Disclosure Regulations.https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/public-disclosure-and-availability-of-exempt-organization-returns-and-applications-public-disclosure-overviewPublic Disclosure and Availability of Exempt Organizations Returns and Applications: Documents Subject to Public DisclosurePublic Disclosure and Availability of Exempt Organizations Returns and Applications: Documents Subject to Public DisclosureWhat tax documents must an exempt organization make available for public inspection and copying?An exempt organization must make available for public inspection its exemption application. An exemption application includes the Form 1023 (for organizations recognized as exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3)), Form 1024 (for organizations recognized as exempt under most other paragraphs of section 501(c)), or the letter submitted under the paragraphs for which no form is prescribed, together with supporting documents and any letter or document issued by the IRS concerning the application. A political organization exempt from taxation under section 527(a) must make available for public inspection and copying its notice of status, Form 8871.In addition, an exempt organization must make available for public inspection and copying its annual return. Such returns include Form 990 , Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,Form 990-EZ , Short Form Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax, Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation, Form 990-BL , Information and Initial Excise Tax Return for Black Lung Benefit Trusts and Certain Related Persons, and the Form 1065 , U.S. Partnership Return of Income.A section 501(c)(3) organization must make available for public inspection and copying any Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return, filed after August 17, 2006. Returns must be available for a three-year period beginning with the due date of the return (including any extension of time for filing). For this purpose, the return includes any schedules, attachments, or supporting documents that relate to the imposition of tax on the unrelated business income of the charity. See Public Inspection and Disclosure of Form 990-T for more information.An exempt organization is not required to disclose Schedule K-1 of Form 1065 or Schedule A ofForm 990-BL. With the exception of private foundations, an exempt organization is not required to disclose the name and address of any contributor to the organization.A political organization exempt from taxation under section 527(a) must make available for inspection and copying its report of contributions and expenditures on Form 8872, Political Organization Report of Contributions and Expenditures. However, such organization is not required to make available its return on Form 1120-POL, U.S. Income Tax Return for Certain Political Organizations.Most Forms 990 and 990PF are available on Guidestar a short time after they are filed with the IRS. Some Schedules attached to the Forms are not subject to public disclosure.GuideStar nonprofit reports and Forms 990 for donors, grantmakers, and businesses

There are a few different kinds of nonprofits, and they have varying reporting and tax requirements.Forming an NFP OrganizationThis is done by forming a not for profit corporation with the home state's Secretary of State or similar office. There are annual reports and fees that must be filed and paid to maintain this organization, though they are generally less than a traditional corporation. It is generally unlawful for an organization to operate as a tax exempt organization (explained below) without maintaining their organization with the state office.Applying for Tax Exempt Status With the IRSAn organization that wants to be tax exempt must file a form 1023 under section 501(c)(3) or form 1024 under section 501(a). This is a one-time form and fee. There is also an EZ version of the 1023 that is available for those that qualify.IRS Annual Returns and the Form 990The only kind of organization that does not need to file an annual return with the IRS is a "church": which is a church, or synagogue, or mosque, or other place of worship that also qualifies under section 501(c)(3). There are certain allowed activities under a place of worship like a parochial school or children's summer camp that do not fall outside of the "church" designation. A church is not disallowed from filing an annual report to the IRS, but they generally don't have to. However, some churches have found that some wealthy donors will not supply funds to an organization without the transparency a 990 offers, so there is some incentive to file.Only an organization that is tax exempt under 501(c)(3) or 501(a) may file a 990. All other NFP organizations must file the default return for their corporate and/or business type. For example, a homeowners association that does not fall under 501(a) must file a form 1120-H.There is a 990-EZ form available for small NFP organizations and a 990-N, also called the "postcard 990" for particularly small NFP tax exempt organizations.There are two additional types of 990 forms called 990-PF and 990-T. A 990-PF, Private Foundation, is for organizations who do not go to the general public to seek support. They get their funds mostly from government grants and/or membership dues and must pay some taxes on their net revenue. A 990-T is filed when an NFP operates somewhat outside of their stated mission to raise funds. An example would be a school that also owns and operates a hotel. The hotel operation may not be a part of their stated mission (unless perhaps they teach hotel management) and they may be required to pay taxes on this net revenue.State Department of Revenue Annual ReturnsThese vary by state, but they generally require similar reporting to the 990. In my home state of Illinois, the IL Attorney General's Office requires an IL-AG990 to be filed annually. Other State's have similar requirements.Sales TaxesNFP organizations who sell merchandise must collect and file sales tax returns like any other business.Payroll TaxesNFP organizations must withhold and report payroll taxes like any other business with employees. Certain types of employees who have the IRS designated title of "minister" may have different levels of taxation associated with them.A minister's salary is taxed under the SECA Act rather than the FICA Act. This means that the church may not pay the minister's employer portion of social security and medicare. A minister must file a schedule SE on his or her personal tax return and pay the full social security taxes as if they were a 1099 contractor. However, a minister may chose to file a form 4361 and opt out of social security taxes at their current and any future ministerial positions. Any minister who does this may not be eligible to eventually collect social security unless they have paid in sufficiently at other non-ministerial positions.A minister may also have a parsonage allowance. Parsonage is a housing allowance decided on by the board of the church. This allowance is not taxed under ordinary federal taxes on the minister's personal tax return.This affects how the organization must track their ministers' salaries and how they must report these salaries on the W2 forms at the end of the year.Unemployment TaxesNFP organizations exempt under 501(c)(3) or 501(a) are also exempt from federal and state unemployment taxes and filings.

In the USA, charities that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code must usually prepare and send a Form 1040 or Form 1040-EZ to the Internal Revenue Service. These forms show a lot of information about the charity, including its financial information. These forms must be made available to the public. The IRS posts them on its web site as well, although there is a delay. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/On the Form 990, Part IX Lines 1, 2, and 3 show the amount of “grants and other assistance” that the organization spent during the year. Its total expenses are on the same page, line 25. You can do the math yourself.In some cases, the organization is required to provide additional detail on those grants and other assistance. That information is typically on Schedule I (for recipients in the U.S.) and/or Schedule F (for recipients outside the U.S.)Smaller organizations can use Form 990-EZ instead of Form 990. On Form 990-EZ, “grants and similar amounts paid” are in Part I, line 10. Total expenses are in Part I, line 17. Some detail may need to be provided in Schedule O.Organizations that receive $50,000 or less in receipts per year are allowed to file Form 990-N instead of a 990 or 990-EZ. Form 990-N shows no financial data.Some state agencies also require financial information to be prepared and sent, and, in some cases, made available to the public. This varies state to state.https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f990ez.pdf