How to Reach the Right IRS Office the First Time: A Guide for Nonprofits
Nonprofits have two IRS phone numbers, not one. Learn which to call for exempt status vs. e-file issues, and what to have ready before you dial.
The Public Support Test, Explained: How Schedule A Protects Your Nonprofits Tax Exempt Status
Every organization that applies for 501(c)(3) status starts out classified as a private foundation in the eyes of the IRS — a designation that comes with stricter rules, higher taxes, and less flexibility. Schedule A and the public support test are how your organization proves otherwise, demonstrating year after year that it's accountable to a broad public rather than a handful of funders. Here's how the test works, why one large gift won't disqualify you, and what's at stake if you fail it.
What to Do If Your Determination Letter Has an Error or the Wrong Effective Date
Your IRS determination letter proves your 501(c)(3) status to donors, grant makers, and state agencies — so a misspelled name, wrong EIN, or off effective date is worth fixing. Here's what each error can mean, and how to correct it.
Form 990-T Supplemental Forms: Form 4562, 4797, 8949, 8995 and 3800 Explained
Form 990-T rarely stands alone. Here's a plain-English breakdown of the five supplemental forms — 4562, 4797, 8949, 8995, and 3800 — that most often accompany it, and when each one applies.
2026 Nonprofit Webinars You Won’t Want To Miss
Tax990's latest webinar learning opportunities for nonprofits.
IRS Form 1024: Who Files It, and How to Apply for Recognition of Exemption
If your organization falls outside 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4), Form 1024 — not Form 1023 — is your path to IRS-recognized tax-exempt status. Here's what it covers and how to file.
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How to Read Your IRS Determination Letter: A Field Guide for Nonprofits
Your IRS determination letter decoded, line by line: what your 509(a) classification, effective date, filing requirement, and deductibility each mean.
What Is IRS Form 5227? Who Files It, What It Covers, and What Happens If You Don’t
Form 5227 might look like just another information return, but for trustees of charitable remainder trusts, pooled income funds, and other split-interest trusts, it carries real personal liability. Here's what the form actually covers, who's on the hook for filing it, and why "reasonable cause" may be your only lifeline if a deadline slips.
More Nonprofit Employees Could Now Trigger the Section 4960 Excise Tax: What Tax-Exempt Organizations Need to Know
Section 4960's excise tax on high nonprofit compensation is no longer limited to an organization's top five earners — for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, the rules expand to cover a broader group of employees, so nonprofits with multiple staff earning over $1 million should start reviewing their compensation arrangements now.