Lost Your Tax-Exempt Status? Here's How to Get it Back

Once you’ve gotten that coveted tax-exempt status for your nonprofit organization, it can be quite the job maintaining it. For some, it can even become a full-time job to ensure their organization remains tax-exempt, which is why it can be so devastating to learn that the IRS has revoked that status.

Losing Tax-Exempt Status
The most common reason organizations lose their tax-exempt status is failing to file a Form 990 return for three consecutive years. Of course, there are more insidious ways organizations can forfeit their status, but not filing for three years in a row can be indicative of these. And so organizations will automatically lose tax-exempt status, effective beginning the original due date of the third missed annual return.

When you lose tax-exempt status, the first thing the IRS will do is send a letter explaining the situation and how your organization is no longer exempt from federal income tax. Your organization will be added to the Automatic Revocation of Exemption List, which the IRS updates monthly.

During this time, your organization is no longer considered tax-exempt so normal federal income tax laws apply. Also during this time period, you’re no longer eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions however your donors can deduct contributions made before your organization is listed on the Automatic Revocation list. Keep in mind that there may also be separate repercussions with your state after your tax-exempt status is revoked.

If your organization is still operating while its tax-exempt status is revoked, you may also be required to file a federal income tax return and pay any applicable taxes with one of these forms:

• -Form 1120, US Corporation Income Tax Return, due the 15th day of the 3rd month following your tax year end date
• -Form 1041, US Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts, due the 15th day of the 4th month following your tax year end date

And Getting it Back!
The most important thing to getting your tax-exempt status back is to act fast and thoroughly when going through the IRS’s reinstatement steps. It will really help here if you’ve been keeping detailed records of your organization’s revenue and expenses. So, first things first: to reinstate your tax-exempt status, you’re going to need to file another Form 1023 if applying under section 501(c)(3). If you’re applying under a different Code section, file Form 1024. Regardless of whether your organization was originally required to file one of these forms for tax-exempt status, you’ll need to file one again now.

You’ll also be required to pay the appropriate user fee the IRS will charge for your status reinstatement. The specifics of the amounts you owe will be explained in the letter the IRS sends to alert you of your status being revoked.

If needed, you can also petition for a retroactive reinstatement as part of your application. This is an important step to take if you believe your organization’s tax-exempt status being revoked was an error or unwarranted. If you don’t need retroactive reinstatement, pending your application’s approval, your organization’s new tax-exempt effective date will most likely be the date you submit Form 1023 or 1024 to the IRS.

Once you’ve been reinstated, it’s important to make every effort not to lose that status again! Be sure to file your 990 Form each year, keep meticulous records, and, of course, only use the benefits of your tax-exempt status for tax-exempt operations. And don’t forget that ExpressTaxExempt can help - like the Jackson 5, just call our name and we’ll be there!

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4 Surprising Tax Tips for Nonprofits

Successfully running a nonprofit or charitable group comes with many responsibilities - not only with your organization’s mission and activities, but also all the requirements to remain compliant with the federal government.

You already know to file a tax report to the IRS every year. You know that failing to do so for three straight years can void your exemption status. You know what to look for and how to report it, but here are a few less known tax tips found online that can benefit your organization in various ways.

Deductions for Volunteers
A great incentive for attracting volunteers to your organization is the tax benefits they receive for their service. Inform your volunteers how they can deduct various travel expenses such as oil changes, fuel, and mileage. Flight costs, food, lodging, and just about any other out-of-pocket expenses required for your volunteers to complete their tasks are tax deductible.

Receipts for Charitable Donations
It may be difficult at first, but try to establish a habit of writing acknowledgments for each donation your organization receives - you can create something as simple as a receipt or a “Thank You” letter that contains the following:

• Donation amount
• Date the donation was received
• Proof or a reassure of exemption status
• A statement of exchange for the donation, if necessary

You might not be obligated to acknowledge every $5 or $10 that comes to your nonprofit, but you should properly recognize anything in the hundreds of dollars or more.

Detailed Financial Documents
You never want a situation in which the IRS has you audited. But if you are, be sure you can account for every donation, expense, and revenue. With the various tax software available, you can organize and have your information readily available for any scenario. Make a habit of documenting your financial reports as soon as you get them. At the very least, it makes your tax season less stressful.

Fundraising through Crowdfunding
Though crowdfunding is proving as a viable alternative to traditional fundraising, it’s still subject to customary tax laws regarding donations. But just like regular donations, you’ll report the same information about contributions from crowdfunding. Whatever crowdfunding platform you choose, you can track donors, their monetary amounts, and even set up rewards for each donation.

Just as each nonprofit is different from the next, so is the tax situation for each exempt organization. Check with a tax advisor for any other surprising tax advantages - and when you’re ready to e-file IRS Form 990/990-EZ come to ExpressTaxExempt.com. Our streamlined, cloud-based service asks interview-style questions which report your organization’s revenue, expenses, and other activities for the year - without the time-consuming hassles of paper filing.

Contact our U.S. - based, e-file professionals for any questions or assistance with our services. You can speak with us at 704.839.2321, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST or send a message to support@ExpressTaxExempt.com.

Related Blog: Start a Nonprofit in 3 Simple Steps 

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Maintaining Tax-Exempt Status

Remember the holiday song “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town?” There’s a line there that goes, “He’s making a list, He’s checking it twice…” With exempt organizations, your list may not necessarily be about being naughty or nice - especially nonprofits or charities. You all are always on the nice list, right? But your organization should have some sort of checklist about sustaining your tax-exempt status that is verified on a regular basis.

We understand that running a successful nonprofit is hard work - and that’s just to make sure you’re achieving your mission goals and community objectives. The last thing you need is legal issues because you fell out of compliance with what the IRS, or your state, has in place. Here are some tips that can help maintain your exemption status:

• Prepare written receipts for contributions from individuals, and then register and file your annual reports that are required by your state. To make a tax deduction, a donor must have a written acknowledgement from your organization of any gift worth at least $250. You should also keep a record of the fair market value of goods and services provided by your organization. You can check your state’s official website for more information about state-specific requirements.

• Evaluate the compensation of top-tier members and contracts annually. If payment is excessively beyond industry guidelines, it could be viewed as a conflict towards your organization’s mission and ultimately lead to losing your exemption status. Any business arrangements should be formally approved, reasonable, and not in excess.

• Become familiar with the restrictions on lobbying activities. A substantial amount of lobbying can also cost you your tax-exempt status. Both the federal and state have restrictions and requirements for lobbying, which can include keeping a detailed record of such activities and expenses. For more information about lobby activities, check out one of our favorite blogs: Lobby Party.

• Pay taxes on unrelated business income, if necessary. Unrelated business income is from a regularly done service or activity that doesn’t necessarily work within your organization’s mission goal. Like lobbying, unrelated business income should be limited; if the unrelated business becomes the primary focus of your organization, you could lose your status. Take a look at our blog, Unrelated Business Income, for more information.

• Last, but certainly not least, file your required tax return to the IRS every year. Depending on your tax year, your filing deadline will always be on the 15th day of the 5th month after your tax end date. And depending on your gross receipts, you’ll either have to file the 990-N (e-Postcard), 990-EZ, or the 990 (Long).

Penalties for filing your tax return late can cost your nonprofit or charity thousands of dollars, and if you fail to file for three consecutive years, your organization loses its exemption status - no questions asked.

With ExpressTaxExempt, we support the exempt tax forms you need including the 990 series and Extension Form 8868. Our service offers impeccable features such as site encryption, McAfee secure certification, cloud computing, error checking, and interview-style questioning so you’re not just filling in a blank form on a screen.

And all of it is backed up by our live, tech-savvy support team in Rock Hill, South Carolina who is ready to assist you with the e-filing process. If you have questions about e-filing any of our available forms, dial us up at (704) 839-2321 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, or drop us a line anytime through our 24/7 email support at support@expresstaxexempt.com.

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End of the Year Tips

The end of the year is just a mere three weeks away. And just like Santa checks his list twice, you should also double-check and make sure your exempt organization is well within regulation before the year is at an end. A new year means new beginnings and there’s nothing worse than attempting a fresh start with old baggage.

So what we have prepared are a few blogs that detail a number of tax responsibilities that should be accomplished around this time of year. Feel free to give each a read, make note to what’s already been done or what needs to be done, and have your exempt organization end the year on the nice list rather than naughty.

By Year’s End

The pressure is on to get everything in order before the new year, and time is quickly ticking away. You probably have even less time than most people, if you’re operating a nonprofit or charity organization. With this season geared towards gift-giving and donations, your load might be heavier than ever.

However, you can’t allow yourself to get lost in this seasonal wave of generosity. This blog offers seven tasks that experts agree should be completed by tax-exempt organizations before the year is over. From annual Board of Directors meetings to updating current solicitation registrations, and even thanking your donors with proper gift receipts, the information here will have your exempt organization ending the year as strong as possible.

End of Year Tax Tips For Nonprofit Organizations

If the title wasn’t self-explanatory enough, the information in this blog explains the annual renewal of an exempt organization’s Articles of Incorporation with the state. With organizations that solicit charitable contributions locally, you are required to register your nonprofit in that one state; however, if your contributions are solicited nationally, you need to register within each state’s jurisdiction.

It also goes into a little interest piece of information about how your nonprofit can make money from its intellectual properties without it being considered as unrelated business income.

Things To Know: Gift Acceptance Policy

Quite possibly one of the most important issues within nonprofits this time of year, this blog demonstrates the importance of having a gift acceptance policy in place. ‘Tis the season of abundant giving, but if the liquidation of a gift requires an inordinate amount time, or consumes way too much of your organization’s resources, then it may do more harm than good.

Above everything else, you definitely want to make sure that your exempt organization is compliant with the IRS tax filings. If your nonprofit operates on a fiscal tax year, and your tax deadline is in December, ExpressTaxExempt can help you e-file your tax return quickly and easily. We offer support for Form 990-N (e-Postcard), Form 990-EZ, and Form 990 (Long). And coming soon, you can use our amazing features to complete Form 1023 for tax-exempt recognition.

If you have any questions, or need any assistance with e-filing one of our available tax forms, don’t hesitate to contact our live support team in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, and we can be reached at (704) 839-2321. We also offer 24/7 email support (support@expresstaxexempt.com), and you can live chat with us from the ExpressTaxExempt website.

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