IRS has sent a recent update on processing Exempt Organizations Tax return filed in Form 990 series…
Form 990 processing changes
As of January 8, the IRS is returning Form 990 series returns filed on paper – and rejecting electronically filed returns – when they are incomplete or the wrong return. IRS.gov answers the question What happens if my Form 990 is missing information or a schedule, or is the wrong return?
Form 990-EZ reminders
Tax-exempt organizations with annual gross receipts under $200,000 and assets under $500,000 (at the end of the reporting period) can use Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, to meet their annual filing requirement. This means you’ll submit less information and fewer schedules than the “full” Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax.
Form 990-EZ includes “assistive” features designed to make filing easier, quicker, and more accurate. These 29 “help buttons” don’t replace the instructions, but they do alert the filer to traditionally troublesome areas and have decreased the error rate for paper-filed returns.
The IRS encourages exempt organizations to file electronically, noting the error rate for electronically-filed returns was only 1% for 2017. A list of companies providing this service is on IRS.gov.
Form 990-series returns are due on the 15th day of the fifth month after an organization’s tax year ends. For organizations using the calendar year as their tax year, May 15 is the deadline to file for 2017. If you need an extension of time to file, use Form 8868, Application of Extension of Time to File an Exempt Organization Return.
