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Showing posts with label IRS Form 990. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IRS Form 990. Show all posts

Exempt Organizations Need To File IRS 990 With ExpressTaxExempt

Members of a tax-exempt organization that need to file IRS 990 with ExpressTaxExempt
We think it’s pretty safe to say that there’s no place like home.

If you filed IRS Form 990 within the past year, you became familiar with our sister product TaxBandits, which helps exempt organizations tackle the world of compliance beyond IRS 990 forms.

After much consideration and feedback from awesome clients like yourself, we have decided to relaunch ExpressTaxExempt as the reigning hub for “all things 990!”

No need to worry–if you enjoyed all of the bells and whistles of TaxBandits, you can still e-file your nonprofit tax reports in the same place as you can your W-2, 1099, and even your quarterly Form 941.

Our mission at ExpressTaxExempt will always be to keep your organization compliant and exempt from taxes with simplified e-filing.

Instead of navigating through several websites for the tax-exempt forms you need, we’ve consolidated all our resources under one name and brand. Our service is dedicated to providing the best and most efficient e-filing experience for tax-exempt organizations, no matter how big or small.

Your account information will remain the same for both ExpressTaxExempt and TaxBandits, so there’s no need to worry about creating a new account and remember yet another complicated password.

Best of all, we now offer special bundled pricing which allows you to save 5% when you bundle your Form 990 filing with your 8868 Extension Form. Check out the new pricing, here.

Now that ExpressTaxExempt is back up and running like never before, come on back home and visit our website to get an early start on your IRS Form 990.


Welcome Home!

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Secret's Out: Form 990 Filing Doesn’t Need to Be Complicated

Amid popular belief, filing tax returns for your exempt organization doesn’t have to be a headache or time-consuming.

Utilizing a comprehensive e-filing software such as TaxBandits will help you maintain compliance with the IRS for your organization.

Well, the secret’s out. Form 990 filing doesn’t need to be complicated at all!

Here’s some info you should have readily available to make the process easy and simple.


















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How to Keep Your Tax-Exempt Status With IRS Form 990

Let’s face it, nobody likes filing their taxes. (Well except for accountants, possibly) In just a few days nonprofits working on a typical fiscal year will have their big IRS Form 990 deadline. There are plenty of rules/regulations that come with it and failing to meet them could cost severe penalties. I am sure this is not your favorite subject but it is surely an important one. We will simplify as much as possible while showing you how to keep your tax-exempt status with IRS Form 990.


How to Keep your Tax-Exempt Status With IRS Form 990

To maintain your 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, the IRS requires you to file an annual tax report. There are different variations of IRS Form 990 based on your nonprofits size and financial situation. But no matter the size or type your organization will need to file some type of Form 990.


Which 990 Form Should I File?

Just because your organization is tax-exempt it doesn’t mean the IRS or the general public doesn’t want to know more about your donations. Really quite the opposite actually. Being open and honest about your finances is part of being both accountable and transparent.

The type of IRS Form 990 you are required to file is dependent on your organization's total gross receipts and/or assets.

Form 990:

If your tax-exempt organization's gross receipts are greater than $200,000 and your total assets (art, historical pieces, etc.) are greater than $500,000 then this is the form you are searching for.




Form 990-EZ:

If your charitable organization's gross receipts were less than $200,000, and your total assets are less than $500,000 you will need to file Form 990-EZ.

Form 990-N:

If your organization's gross receipts for the previous fiscal year was less than $50,000, then this form is for you. This one is actually very different from the other types and is referred to as an e-Postcard. 

When Is The Deadline For Filing 990?

Your IRS Form 990 deadline is the 15th day of the 5th month after your tax year ends. So if you tax-exempt organization runs on a typically fiscal year, your deadline is May 15th!


Form 990 Deadline:
May 15th, 2018


What Happens If I Fail To File?

So, what happens if you don’t file your IRS Form 990? If you fail to file or submit your form late there is a $20 penalty pre-day up to $10,000 or five percent of your organization total gross receipts.

Sounds like a big mess, right?.... Moral of the story --- try to file by the deadline. That’s all I am going to say.

Click To File Online:

IRS Form 990-N

IRS Form 990

IRS Form 990-EZ

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How to Decipher Your IRS Form 990 Schedule L

Without a doubt Form 990 Schedule L, Transactions With Interested Persons is one of the most challenging Schedules available to nonprofit organizations. Your organization must first determine who qualifies as an “interested person,” before choosing which transactions or donations should be reported. Here is your guide to deciphering your IRS Form 990 Schedule L.


How to Decipher Your Form 990 Schedule L


The purpose of 990 Schedule L is to provide information on certain donations or arrangement between your organization and any “Disqualified Individual.” This could be any person who was in a position that could use significant influence over your organization during the lookback period. The lookback period is the five years before the donation or transaction occurred.

990 Schedule L is also used to determine whether any members of your organization's board or governing body is independent. 


Examples of Disqualified Persons:

  • Former or current directors, officers, trustees, or key employees
  • Founder of your tax-exempt organization
  • Family member of influential leaders listed above
  • Controls more than 35% of the organization



While the Internal Revenue Service might not require precise information on other schedules they do have the authority to ask in-depth questions when filing Schedule L. Many of the questions on Schedule L require additional explanations, disclosure, and descriptions which should be filed Schedule O.

It is not necessary that the individual exercise substantial influence, only that the person is in a position to do so.



When 990 Schedule L Due Date?

Your complete IRS Form 990 with all required schedules are due the 15th day of the 5th month after your tax year ends. So if your nonprofit organization runs on a typically fiscal year running from January to December your deadline is May 15th!



Form 990 Deadline:
May 15th, 2018




File Your Nonprofit Tax Return Form 990

ExpressTaxExempt is an IRS-Authorized e-file provider of all Form 990 variations, and we will automatically include any Schedules required. Our step-by-step interview-style process is equipped with built-in audits to ensure error-free filing.





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What You Need To Know About IRS Form 990

For many tax-exempt organizations, this is the most dreaded time of year. The long, mind-numbing hours spent grueling over IRS Forms. As you check, recheck, and then triple check making sure all of your information is correct before filing. You take pride in your nonprofits transparency and want that to be known to the general public. But oh the paperwork. You have a list of plans for your organization, and the last thing you want to do is decipher IRS terminology (seems like another language altogether).

But filing your IRS Form 990 doesn’t have to be that bad if you know what information you need and where to go to file. Here is what you need to know about IRS Form 990, so you can get back to helping your cause.


What You Need To Know About IRS Form 990

If you are like any good red-blooded American, the voice in the back of your head is asking “Do I really have to do this?” Short answer: Yup! The fact of the matter is that all tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) status are required to file an IRS Form 990 annually. This is regardless of the amount of donations you receive. If you are unsure about your filing requirement, the Internal Revenue Service offers a list of qualifications if you would like to double check before going forward.


Don’t worry I’ll wait…….. So yeah you need to file, right? No worries, thousands of organizations around the country need to file annually, and your public will thank you for the openness.


What Type of Form 990 Variation Do I File?

While the names might seem confusing, they are fairly straightforward.

Form 990:

The one and only, the original Form 990. If your tax-exempt organization's gross receipts are greater than $200,000 and your total assets (art, historical pieces, etc.) are greater than $500,000 then this is the form you are searching for.


Form 990-EZ:

If your charitable organization's gross receipts were less than $200,000, and your total assets are less than $500,000 you will need to file Form 990-EZ.


Form 990-N:

If your organization's gross receipts for the previous fiscal year was less than $50,000, then this form is for you (Form 990N). This one is actually very different from the other types and is referred to as an e-Postcard. 


Before You Start Filing

Before you go charging in make sure you have all of the important information you will need to file. This will include the following information:
  • EIN (Employer Identification Number) 
  • Tax Period
  • GEN (Group Exemption Number) 
  • You will also need information to fill out any required schedules for your organization 

990 Schedule A:

Every tax-exempt organization needs to file 990 Schedule A. This will tell the IRS more about what type of nonprofit you are, like government, education, environmental, or safety organization. You will also include information about your public support. So this is where you will include information about any gifts or grants you have received in the past year and where they came from. 


990 Schedule B:

Form 990 Schedule B is based on your contributors (or donors). The rule of thumb is if you receive more than $5,000 from any single donor you are required to file 990 Schedule B.

While these are the most popular schedules, there are 14 other that you could be required to file. These are all specific to the nonprofit type. For the full list of 990 Schedules and explanations click here to visit the IRS website. 


When Is The 990 Due Date?

Well, I am glad you asked. Your IRS Form 990 deadline is the 15th day of the 5th month after your tax year ends. So if your tax-exempt organization runs on a typical fiscal year, your deadline is May 15th!


Form 990 Deadline:
May 15th, 2018




IRS 990 Filing For Nonprofits

Now that you have all the information you need, it is finally time to fill out the form. While you could always go the paper filing route, I do not recommend it for several reasons. But the primary concern is that it takes a lot more time to file on paper, and you run the possibility of making mistakes.



You could always file using an IRS-authorized e-file provider like, oohhh I don’t know ..... ExpressTaxExempt. (Hint hint) On top of being approved and trusted by the IRS, we are also partnered with GuideStar. So when you file your IRS Form 990 with us, we will immediately send your information to GuideStar. Instead of waiting months for your form to be processed and then transmitted, GuideStar will immediately publish your information once approved.

But wait there's more! Our step-by-step interview-style process is equipped with built-in audits to ensure error-free filing. And we will automatically include any schedules that are required for filing. Say goodbye to long, mind-numbing hours it used to take to file your IRS Form 990 and say hello to your new friend, ExpressTaxExempt.




File IRS Form 990 Today!





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How To Prepare For The IRS Form 990 May 15 Deadline

Tuesday, May 15th is the deadline for tax-exempt organizations operating on a typical calendar tax year to file Form 990. The key to stress-free filing is learning how to prepare for the IRS Form 990 deadline.

What is Form 990?

IRS Form 990 is the annual financial and informational return filed by all tax-exempt nonprofit and charitable organizations. Before we get into the information you are required to file let’s review the 990 Form Series. Your organization's type and financial situation will decide which nonprofit tax return Form 990 you will file.

There are four types of 990 Forms in the Form 990 Series. Select and e-file the appropriate nonprofit tax return Form 990 based on the following requirements:

Form 990-N (e-Postcard) - For organizations reporting gross receipts less than $50,000

Form 990-EZ (Short Form) - For organizations reporting gross receipts less than $200,000 and total assets less than $500,000

Form 990 (Long Form) - For organizations reporting gross receipts equal to or greater than $200,000 and total assets equal to or greater than $500,000

Form 990-PF - For organizations identifying as an exempt private foundation, taxable private foundation, or a nonexempt charitable trust treated as a private foundation. 

How To Prepare For The IRS Form 990 May 15 Deadline


Gather & Organize Necessary Documents

Before filing your organization’s 990 Form, take the time to gather all your required information. If you are not organized, you will find yourself wasting countless hours searching for financial information; which is never fun.

Depending on the Form 990 you are required to file, you may have to report various details such as revenue and expense amounts, program services, a list of employees, financial statements, governance and more.

Know What Information You Need

Well since we’re on the topic of required information let’s go ahead to get to it. Here’s what you will need when you file your 990 Form with ExpressTaxExempt:


Information Needed To File Form 990-N
  • Employer Identification Number 
  • Legal Name
  • Fiscal year period
  • Principal Officer
  • Current Address
  • Gross Receipts under $50,000


Information Needed To File Form 990/990-EZ/990-PF
  • EIN
  • Legal Name
  • Fiscal year period
  • Current Address
  • Contact number
  • Exemption type
  • List of Officers and Key Employees
  • Prior year return
  • Contributions for the past 5 years
  • Other Revenue details
  • Expenses 
  • Investment Income details
  • Numbers of Employees, Contractors & Volunteers
  • Organization’s Mission
  • Accomplishments for the year (Grants Paid, Projects finished etc.)
  • Donor Advised Fund Information
  • Endowment Funds Information
  • Assets (Art, Historical treasures etc.)
  • Policies
  • Details of Activities 
  • (Political, lobbying, foreign transactions etc.)
  • Related organizations

File Like a Pro with ExpressTaxExempt


Now that you know how to prepare your IRS Form 990 you can easily file your IRS Form 990. At ExpressTaxExempt we support your organization by providing a simplified, interview style filing process, automatic schedules and worksheets, retransmit rejected returns for free, support prior year filing and more!

Success starts with ExpressTaxExempt, so take the first step in maintaining your nonprofit’s tax compliance by signing in or creating your free ExpressTaxExempt account today.

File IRS Form 990 Online

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers related to e-filing IRS Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-N (e-Postcard), Form 1120-POL and Extension Form 8868 with our Frequently Asked Questions.

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