IRS on Supporting Organizations and Donor Advised Funds

The IRS issued a report regarding supporting organizations (SO) and donor advised funds (DAF), including whether contributions to SOs or DAFs should be deductible and/or whether SOs and DAFs should be subject to minimum distribution requirements.   This long-awaited report was released by Treasury on December 5 and can be found by clicking here.   Based on a quick review of this 100+ page report, there are no recommendations that would seem to require additional regulation beyond those amendments made by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 – the report concludes contributions are generally deductible, and no minimum distribution requirement is necessary.

Social Media Resources

For a recent presentation, I prepared a series of links regarding the use of Social Media by Religious and Nonprofit organizations. Click here.... I will also be doing the presentation as a webcast next August. You can find more information or register on my website: Click here....

Canon Law Resource

Amy Hereford has been posting and updating the Canon Law Wiki for about 5 years. It provides a basic online resource for canon law.
A wiki is an online platform that allows multiple editors to contribute to the project. Currently it boasts about a thousand visitors each month from around the globe. Each flag on the map at the right indicates that visitors from that country have used the resource.
You may wish to use the resource the next time you have a canon law question. Writers are also welcome and invited to share their expertise.

Webcast on Associates

November 15, 2011: Associates of Religious Institutes This one hour webcast will propose models for understanding the evolving relationship of religious institutes and societies to their associates. It will discuss the civil and canonical issues raised and explore best practices. For more information...

Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare open enrollment this year is from October 15-December 7. This is for any change to your Part D drug plan or your Medicare Advantage plan (if you have one) which will then become effective on 01/01/12. You may have noticed an increase in advertisements for plans since the open enrollment dates were moved up this year. 

Last year, a couple of the Part D drug plans decided to opt out of the Medicare program altogether. If you should receive a letter from your plan stating that they are doing that this year, you may choose another plan.

Reporting employer health care coverage on Form W-2

An Oct. 31 webinar will explain the Affordable Care Act provision that requires some employers to report health care coverage on Form W-2.
Related links:

• IR-2011-31, IRS Issues Interim Guidance on Informational Reporting of Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage
• Employer-Provided Health Coverage Informational Reporting Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions

IRS Webinar: International Activities of Domestic Charitable Organizations

View a recording of the IRS Exempt Organizations webinar on International Activities of Domestic Charitable Organizations on IRSVideos.gov.

Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

News Release IR-2011-90 reminds small businesses, small non-profit organizations and professional service providers that there is still time to claim the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, and encourages them to find out if they or their clients are eligible to claim the credit on their tax returns as the upcoming filing extension tax deadlines near.

Medicare Preventive Benefits Chart

The National Council on Aging in conjunction with other sponsors recently developed and distributed a chart that summarizes the preventative benefits covered by Medicare.   You may find this to be a helpful reference.  Chart....

Online Symposium on Religious Life

Join us in 2012 for an ongoing, online conversation on emergent Religious Life at the national and local levels. The conversation will be:

National and Local
Online and Face to Face
Interdisciplinary

National Online Forum

In partnership with Giving Voice, four online forums, each convened on a Sunday at 2pm Eastern and lasting about 90 minutes. Presenters, respondants, and participants can particpate from their computers, either individually, or in group settings. By doing an online forum, we are hoping for a participation of members in active ministry who couldn't travel for the event. But it will be flexible enough for small groups to gather in homes or in larger group settings. These groups can then continue the conversation locally and share their insights in an online forum. 
For the Call for Papers or to Register ....

Webcast on Immigration

Webcast on August 16, 2011: Immigration for Religious
This one hour webcast will introduce the law of immigration to those within the institute who are charged with managing religious immigration cases, or need to understand the immigration process so that they can coordinate formation or ministry. See CSJ Ministries Webcast Newsletter or click here to register.

New Group Ruling Letter Issued

The new Group Ruling letter for tax exemption for the USCCB has been issued. It can be accessed online here..... You will also find copies of the cover letter and the group ruling application.

IRS Webinar

The IRS will be hosting a webinar on International Activities of Domestic Charitable Organizations on August 4, 2011 at 2 pm ET.

New YouTube Video: How to Get Your Tax- Exempt Status Back

Did your organization lose its tax-exempt status because it failed to file for three consecutive years?  Go to the IRS YouTube channel to watch a video about How to Get Your Tax-Exempt Status Back today.

IRS releases list of 275,000 organizations that have lost exempt status

The Internal Revenue Service today announced that it has released a listing of  approximately 275,000 organizations that under the law have automatically lost their tax-exempt status because they have not filed annual reports as legally required for the past three years. If an organization appears on the list of auto-revoked organizations  it is because IRS records indicate the organization has a filing requirement and has not filed the required returns or notices for 2007, 2008 and 2009.
The IRS has issued guidance on how organizations can apply for reinstatement of their tax-exempt status, including retroactive reinstatement. In addition, the IRS announced transition relief for certain smaller tax-exempt groups – those with annual gross receipts of $50,000 or less for 2010 and eligible to file Form 990-N, the e-Postcard.  The relief allows eligible revoked groups to gain retroactive tax-exempt status and pay a reduced application fee of $100 rather than the typical $400 fee. More information, including FAQs and a Fact Sheet, can be found on the IRS website.

Taxing the Tax‐Exempt Sector—A Growing Danger for Nonprofit Organizations

A joint project of the Center for Civil Society Studies at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies in cooperation with the Alliance for Children and Families, Alliance for Nonprofit Management, American Association of Museums, Community Action Partnership, LeadingAge, League of American Orchestras, Lutheran Services in America, and United Neighborhood Centers of America. More information....

Health Insurance Deduction Reduces Self Employment Tax

In 2010, eligible self-employed individuals can use the self-employed health insurance deduction to reduce their social security self-employment tax liability in addition to their income tax liability. As in the past, eligible taxpayers claim this deduction on Form 1040 Line 29. But in 2010, eligible taxpayers can also enter this amount on Schedule SE Line 3, thus reducing net earnings from self-employment subject to the 15.3 percent social security self-employment tax.  More....

IRS Webinar for New Non-501(c)(3) Organizations

A free Feb. 24 webinar, What New Non-501(c)(3) Organizations Need to Know, will cover meeting your organization’s “operational test,” five ways to avoid jeopardizing your tax-exempt status, annual filing requirements for exempt organizations and tools you can use for tax compliance. Register now.

IRS Updated User Fees

Exemption application (Form 1023, 1024, or 1028)	User Fee
Organizations with annual gross receipts < $10,000 during preceding 4 years	$400
Organizations with annual gross receipts ≥ $10,000 during preceding 4 years	$850
Group exemption requests	$3,000

For More Information...

Alienation Limit for 2011

ALIENATION/ADVERSE BUSINESS TRANSACTION LIMITS
The amount which requires the approval of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated life and Societies of Apostolic Life in cases of alienation of stable patrimony or business transactions which could have an adverse effect on the patrimonial condition of an institute/society remains at $5,705,000.
This amount applies only to an alienation or a business transaction within the United States. Alienation and business transactions in other countries must follow the amount set for institutes and societies in each particular country or region. [See canon 638.3].
Informational Note:
Alienation: the present tax usually charged for approval of an alienation is .1% of the actual selling price. Payment must be made in euros and presented to the Congregation prior to receiving the document of approval. Up to now, wire transfers have not been acceptable.
Adverse Business Transaction: the tax now charged seems to be 50 euro.

990 Filing Threshholds for TY-2010

• Organizations with gross receipts normally < $50,000 must file Form 990-N (but may choose to file a complete Form 990 or Form 990-EZ). Formerly < $25,000. 
• Organizations with gross receipts > $50,000 and < $200,000 and total assets < $500,000 must file Form 990-EZ or a complete Form 990. 
• Organizations with gross receipts < $200,000 or total assets < $500,000 must file Form 990. 
• As always, private foundations must file Form 990-PF.