What is Form 990?
IRS Form 990 is the tax document that tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations file each year with the IRS. The 990 allows the IRS and the public to evaluate nonprofits and how they operate.
The Form 990 requires disclosure of potential conflicts of interest, compensation of board members and staff, and in addition to other details having to do with financial accountability and avoidance of fraud.
Who has to file a Form 990?
- Private foundations are required to file a Form 990-PF.
- Larger nonprofits that have gross receipts of more than $50,000 (as of Jan 2011) have to file Form 990 or 990-EZ.
- Small nonprofits with gross receipts of $50,000 (as of Jan 2011) or less must file the new Form Electronic 990-N (e-Postcard) in order to maintain their exempt status.
- Organizations that are tax-exempt under Sections 501(c), 527, or 4947(a)(1) of the U.S. tax code, and that don’t fall into the exemptions listed below.
Which organizations are exempt from filing Form 990?
- Faith-based
- Subsidiaries of other nonprofits
- Nonprofits not yet in the system. If you are an incorporated nonprofit in your state but haven’t applied to the IRS for exemption from federal income tax, you don’t have to file a Form 990.
- Religious schools
- Missions or missionary organizations
- Some state institutions are exempt because they provide essential services (a university is an example).
- Government corporations
When do you file Form 990?
You must file your 990, 990-EZ, 990-N, or 990-PF by the 15th day of the 5th month after your accounting period ends. So, if your fiscal year ends on December 31st, Form 990 is due on May 15th of the following year.
Which Form 990 do we file?
Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-N are filed by tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and some types of exempt political organizations.
If I want to see Form 990 for a particular nonprofit, how do I do it?
You can get a copy of a nonprofit’s Form 990 from the IRS, or you can view it at the charity you are interested in. Nonprofit organizations are required to make their Form 990 and their exemption application available for public inspection without charge at their regional and district offices during regular business hours.
Many nonprofits now make their Form 990s available for viewing on their websites. You can also view them at Guidestar, an organization that compiles information about nonprofits.
Thanks to Joanne Fritz, About.com Guide, for many of these guidelines.