Tag Archives: compliance

I’m on TV Tonight With Asa Aarons

Photo courtesy of IRS EIN on Flickr

I was interviewed today by Asa Aarons for tonight’s Consumer Watch segment of the evening news on the Time Warner cable network.

We talked about the IRS’s automatic revocation of tax-exempt status list, and what it means for donors and charities.


If you missed it, here you go. I’d love feedback and comments either here or on YouTube!

Thanks for taking a couple of minutes to watch!

IRS Tells Us What ‘Good Governance’ Means, Part Uno

Photo courtesy of alykat on Flickr.

We hear this language all the time in charity circles:

 

  • governance
  • accountability
  • transparency
  • board responsibilities
  • conflict of interest
  • whistleblower protection
  • executive compensation
  • document retention

… and other words and phrases in the nonprofit lexicon. What do they mean to the federal agency that reviews public charities when they apply for tax-exempt designation and again every year when most file an information return?

The most comprehensive (read “burdensome”) of the returns, form 990, asks lots of questions about whether policies are in place, but doesn’t (and shouldn’t) provide any detail as to what the expectations are around these arcane concepts.

If only we could agree on what the practices mean.

I found this gem on the IRS website, “Governance and Related Topics – 501(c)(3) Organizations,” that makes it pretty clear what the agency is looking for. (It’s from February 2008, but these definitions don’t change much.) The Internal Revenue Code does not require documentation or detailed policies in these areas.

But–big but–IRS believes, “A charity that has . . .a knowledgeable and committed governing body and management team, and sound management practices is more likely to operate effectively and consistent with tax law requirements.”(page 1)

That explains the Service’s opinion of the relationship between good governance and tax code compliance, and their interest in the former. So what do these things mean?

Good Governance. This is the broad category. It means having in place “policies relating to executive compensation, conflicts of interest, investments, fundraising, documenting governance decisions, document retention and destruction, and whistleblower claims.” (page 3)

Executive Compensation. You pay reasonable compensation for services rendered. Pay is determined by people knowledgeable about compensation practices and financially uninterested in the levels set. (page 3)

Conflicts of Interest. The Service “encourages a charity’s board of directors to adopt and regularly evaluate a written conflict of interest policy that requires directors and staff to act solely in the interests of the charity without regard for personal interests . . .” You set up the policy and monitor compliance. (page 4)

There is considerably more detail at the page references I’ve given you. Read the document and consult your legal counsel. Do not construe this post as legal advice. It isn’t.

Over the next few weeks I’ll take on additional governance topics from this informative IRS paper.

There are expert attorneys much more knowledgeable than me in the legal requirements for running your nonprofit. I suggest you pay attention to Carter Ellis and Gene Takagi. Gene and his colleague Emily Chan will be regular legal contributors to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio starting in July. I’m sure we’ll talk a lot about governance.

The IRS List Is Out, And You Want to Get Off It

Please Pay Here by stevendepolo from Flickr
The Internal Revenue Service released its list of 275,000 organizations that have lost federal tax-exempt status because they failed to file with the Service for three consecutive years.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported it yesterday. The New York Times reports it today.

I’d like to go deeper. What do you do to get tax-exempt status back if you’re listed and still operating?

Start on the IRS website.

Small Organizations
You’ll get preferential treatment if your organization “normally has annual gross receipts of not more than $50,000 in its most recently completed taxable year.” That’s from Notice 2011-43 which will guide you through the reinstatement process. If you fit that criteria, you’re a “small organization” for purposes of reinstating tax-exempt status.

If a small organization submits an application for reinstatement (Form 1023 for 501(c)(3) charities; Form 1024 for others) by December 31 of next year, and meets the criteria on page 3 of Notice 2011-43, IRS will reinstate tax-exempt status retroactive to the date of revocation.

As if that weren’t enough. Small organizations get a substantially reduced fee of $100, down from $850 for others. That’s an 88% discount. Where you gonna find that kind of bargain?

Plus, there are three phone numbers at the bottom of the notice for “further information.” I wonder how many calls Ms. Rosenbaum and Messrs. Quesenberry and Giuliano will get this week. (It’s nice to see an italian in the bunch.)

Be sure to write “Notice 2011-43” on top of your application and on your envelope.

Non-small Organizations
Your guidance is in Notice 2011-44 and the news isn’t as good as the small folks’.

You submit Form 1023 or 1024, but the standard for award of retroactive reinstatement is more stringent. It includes “a detailed description of all the facts and circumstances that led to each failure and the continuous failure [to file annually], the discovery of the failures, and the steps taken to avoid or mitigate the failures” along with evidence to substantiate.

I love this, too. Government can be burdensome when it puts a mind to it: “. . . showing reasonable cause for failing to file a required return or notice for the first of the three years by the date it was due would be insufficient; an organization also would have to show reasonable cause for not filing that return or notice at any later time during the three-year period, and for not filing required returns or notices for the second and third years . . .” (Notice 2011-44, page 8). Again, that’s the standard for retroactive reinstatement, not for regaining current tax-exempt status.

As if that weren’t enough: you’ll pay the full $850 application fee.

But, you get the same three nice people to call.

This post is not legal advice. Do not construe it as legal advice. Seek the counsel of an attorney. This is my interpretation of IRS methodology without the benefit of technical explanations, court opinions, revenue procedures and other official guidance.

IRS “Dirty 320,000” List Coming

GuideStar advised in an email yesterday that IRS will soon release its “Nonfiler Revocation List.”  The Service says the same in a February article.

According to GuideStar, the list contains “as many as 321,000 nonprofits.”  That’s one-quarter of all the public charities in the United States.  The New York Times had the same estimate in coverage last April, ahead of the May 15 filing deadline that caused the loss of tax-exempt status for so many.  Failure to file form 990 with IRS for three consecutive years lands you on the list.

From the IRS article: “Loss of exempt status means an organization must file income tax returns and pay income tax, and its contributors will not be able to deduct their donations.”

And from a July, 2010 IRS press release: “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.”

You know I’m big on compliance issues.  CEOs and boards have got to step-up to their fiduciary duties to the charity and stop ignoring legal requirements.

The regulatory environment is only going to get more hostile to scofflaw nonprofits.  This applies to tax code requirements, governance issues, and state laws, like charity solicitation registration filings.  The days of mom-and-pop boards “doing good” are long over.

This filing requirement was heavily publicized by IRS last year ahead of the deadline, and the agency extended the deadline to October for small charities.  It was covered by mass media.  There’s just no excuse if your charity is an active organization.  File your delinquent returns.  If the organization has terminated activity–or merged with another nonprofit–you need to disclose that to IRS on a final form 990.

Nonprofit Radio for March 4, 2011: Minimizing Money Management Mayhem

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

You can subscribe on iTunes and listen anytime, anyplace on the device of your choice.

Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio for March 4, 2011:

Kathy Boyle, President, Chapin Hill Advisors is this week’s guest.

We’ll talk about Minimizing Money Management Mayhem: What UPMIFA means for your CEO, CFO and board.

Kathy distills the requirements of UPMIFA for nonprofits in New York–and other states–where the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act has become law.

  • What is “prudent”?
  • What needs to be in your investment policy statement?

We’ll leave you with tips for compliance and action items.

Update: April 13, 2011 – The New York State Attorney General now has a guide to New York’s Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (NYPMIFA).  NY nonprofits will find this guide by the AG helpful.

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I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

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Here is the link to the podcast: 031: Minimizing Money Management Mayhem
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