Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have made recent changes to their charitable registration requirements, and DC has a deadline approaching.
Sometimes it is necessary for a nonprofit to form a for-profit subsidiary. Knowing how to do this can help avoid losing your tax-exemption.
Misclassifying employees as independent contractors is a common mistake made by many nonprofits. Still, improperly misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor can be costly. Nonprofits can suffer payroll tax liabilities and penalties or lawsuits from federal and state authorities for reimbursement of workers’ compensation claims.
Normally, corporations can only deduct charitable contributions up to an amount that equals 10 percent or less of their taxable income in the given tax year. Under the CARES Act, this limitation was bumped to 25 percent of taxable income.
More recently, the December 2020 Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act (TCDTRA) temporarily upped the limit for corporate charitable contribution deductions to 100% for qualified disaster relief contributions.
The IRS has released additional guidance for corporations considering using the deduction. Here’s what you need to know.
The new year is a good time for nonprofits to review policies, procedures, and practices, including state-by-state registration requirements.
The new tax laws continue 2020 CARES Act changes that increase the above-the-line individual tax deduction to $300. In addition, the new rules double the deduction for married couples filing jointly to $600; the 2020 CARES Act did not have a provision that permitted couples to claim an additional amount over individual filers. Donations must be made in cash (rather than stocks or other assets like cars and clothing; credit cards and checks are OK) and go directly to a charity (donor-advised funds and private non-operating foundations do not count).
At the beginning of each fiscal year, the IRS releases guidance on its compliance priorities for tax-exempt and government entities (TE/GE) and explains how those priorities align with the agency’s strategic goals. This year, the IRS has streamlined its usual annual long letter approach into a short two-page letter and promised to provide quarterly updates on its compliance priorities; an effort to more accurately reflect the fluid nature of IRS operations and shifting compliance priorities throughout the year.
Can a charity engage in nonprofit lobbying lobby without jeopardizing its tax-exempt status? In short, yes.
State charitable tax credits are a win for everyone; qualified charities receive the support they need at no extra expense to the taxpayer beyond what they would already owe to the state in taxes. Note that while credits are non-refundable (i.e. if you don’t end up owing enough in taxes to fully benefit from the credits, you will not get a refund from the state), unused credits can be carried forward for 5 years.
Thoroughly research a charity before giving. What are they doing to serve the community, and do they actually do what they say they will do? How much of their costs go to overhead and administration versus providing actual services to the community they serve? The following organizations provide reputable information on how charities do business and spend their donations.
Most states require you to register your organization if you solicit donations from their residents. Many states also require registration if your organization collects substantial or ongoing donations from their residents, even if you aren’t specifically targeting donors in that state. Download our comprehensive list of each state’s requirements.
Download our free guide to learn about the many elements needed to run a successful nonprofit organization, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.