Nonprofit Accounting Basics

Federal Tax Issues

Ballot Measures and Recalls: Basic Rules for 501(c)(3) Public Charities, 501(c)(4)'s and Unions

Originally Posted: June 29, 2021

As states grapple with a host of contentious issues, including severe budget cuts, efforts to alter public employee rights and benefits, and legislation to curtail public services, organized ef

Charities and Political Activity— The Unwelcome Spotlight

Originally Posted: January 26, 2021

Political candidates can be good for your nonprofit.  They raise the profile of your events, increase public interest in your activities, and prove to be good friends once in office.  Why

Common UBIT Myth Related to Nonprofit Revenue and Tax Impact

Originally Posted: September 8, 2021

Myth: “It doesn’t matter how I get the money in the door as long as I spend it on charitable activities.”

Disqualified Persons and the Intermediate Sanctions Excise Tax Regime

Originally Posted: August 11, 2021

Disqualified Persons and the Intermediate Sanctions Excise Tax Regime[1]

IRS Code Sections Relating to Exempt Organizations

Originally Posted: June 7, 2009

The IRS maintains a listing of the code sections that apply to exempt organizations.

Lobbying and Political Activities Chart

Originally Posted: October 27, 2021

Nonprofits are allowed to lobby, but the type of nonprofit determines the level of lobbying allowed.  Some nonprofits can engage in political activity, but not all are allowed that flexibility

Lobbying Requirements Comparison Chart

Originally Posted: September 29, 2021

Meet the New Form 1099-NEC

Originally Posted: March 24, 2021

The PATH Act (Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act) required that payments for services in 2017 be reported on Form 1099-MISC by January 31 of the following year.  However, if a payor was o

Paywall_Comparison of 501(c)(3)s*, 501(c)(4)s, and Political (527) Organizations

Originally Posted: May 20, 2021

Public Support Tests: Does Your Public Charity Pass the Section 509(a)(1) Test?

Originally Posted: March 28, 2022

To be a public charity, an organization must meet one of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 509(a) tests.

Public Support Tests: How a Public Charity is Defined Under Sec. 509(a)(2)

Originally Posted: September 1, 2022

The IRS has four categories under Sec. 509 that allow an organization to be a public charity, but the two most common are 509(a)(1) and 509(a)(2).

Public Support Tests: Why You Might Prefer Public Charity to Private Foundation

Originally Posted: December 10, 2021

While the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c) lists 29 different types of nonprofit organizations, most tax-exempt organizations are those described in Section 501(c)(3) and have a charitable, rel

Security Act 2.0: What you need to know

Originally Posted: March 8, 2023

On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which includes the provisions of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, commonly called SECURE 2.0.

The Tax Consequences of Fee-for-Service (Part 1 of 2): The Exempt Purpose Test

Originally Posted: August 26, 2020

The past decade has been marked by the increasing commercialization of the non-profit sector.

The Tax Consequences of Fee-for-Service (Part 2 of 2): The Unrelated Business Income Tax

Originally Posted: August 26, 2020

In the first part of this two-part series, we discussed the growing commercialization of the non-profit sector, and examined how and when heavy reliance on “fee-for-service” revenue may be inconsis

Updates on Excess Tax-Exempt Organization Executive Compensation

Originally Posted: February 6, 2023

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 added a 21 percent excise tax on tax-exempt organizations, including associations, that pay what the law defines as “excess tax-exempt organization executive compe

When Does Your Activity Become Lobbying?

Originally Posted: August 24, 2021

What Your Nonprofit Needs to Know

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