October 15 deadline for charity filings

Under new law, all tax-exempt organizations, even the smallest ones, must file an annual return with the Internal Revenue Service. Any organization that does not file for three consecutive years automatically loses its federal tax exemption. Churches and some church-related organizations are among the few exceptions. The first deadline for filing returns was May 17, 2010. While thousands of organizations did file, a significant number did not. The IRS extended the filing deadline to October 15, 2010. It also published a list with the names and last known addresses of organizations that are at risk of losing their tax- exempt status. The smallest organizations, with less than $25,000 annual receipts, should file a 990-N (ePostcard). The ePostcard asks only eight questions and is filled out and sent using the Internet. Larger organizations eligible to file the 990-EZ must file their past due returns by October 15 and pay a compliance fee. The list and information on keeping tax-exempt are at www.irs.gov/charities.

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