If you’re looking for your nonprofit tax form 990 online, you’re in luck.
Because nowadays, everything is online.
Here are a few examples you likely use every day:
If you use financial management software, you’re hooked up to a cloud network that integrates seamlessly with your organization’s accounting, banking, and other budgeting needs.
You’re also likely subscribed to nonprofit publications’ email lists and blogs for up-to-the-minute news and tools in the world of 501(c)(3)s.
As far as tax information and finding forms online, the IRS.gov website is a veritable treasure trove—well, as tax specialists, we think of it as a treasure trove. If you’re not a tax specialist, mileage may vary.
At any rate, any question you may have, any form you need to file, can often be found with a quick web search.
But when information is compiled into a giant internet tome, navigating it can be a task in and of itself.
You need to know where to find your nonprofit tax forms, and you need to know where to find them now.
In this blog, we’ll cover:
- online 990 tax forms
- links to instructions and useful tax filing tips
- other online IRS forms for nonprofits
- how a certified tax e-filer can help
File 990 is here to help guide you through your digital nonprofit tax form journey, so you’ll never again have to ask, Is My Form 990 Online?
990 Tax Forms That Are Online
Before we list them, there’s one caveat. Not all 990 forms that are found online must be filed online, if you prefer to physically mail your forms.
For instance, with the full 990 form (with some restrictions) or 990-EZ, you can opt to mail them to the following address:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service Center
P.O. Box 409101
Ogden, UT 8440
Here’s Where You Can Find the Most Common 990 Forms Online
Form 990: for eligible tax-exempt nonprofits with gross receipts greater than or equal to $200,000 or (2) total assets greater than or equal to $500,000 at the end of the tax year.
Form 990-EZ: for eligible tax-exempt nonprofits with gross receipts less than $200,000 and total assets at the end of the tax year less than $500,000.
Form 990-N (e-Postcard): for eligible tax-exempt nonprofits with annual gross receipts $50,000 or less.
Form 990-PF: for private foundations, either taxable or tax exempt, as well as nonexempt charitable trusts treated as private foundations under U.S. tax code.
Form 1120-POL: for certain political and other organizations who are ineligible to file 990 forms.
Instructions for 990 Filing–Some Assembly Required
Filing still means assembling all your financial records, but online instructions can help ease the burden some.
Filing a 990-N (the e-Postcard version of the form) doesn’t take much information gathering and is straightforward. But the full 990 or 990-EZ can be more complex, depending on your organization’s unique financial situation.
Plus, regardless of the form you’re filing, rules for who files which forms and schedules—and how—can change from year to year.
Changes are listed near the front of each form’s instructions.
Here Are Some Common Questions Answered by Each Form’s Instructions
- What’s New
- Purpose of the Form
General Instructions:
- Who Must File
- When, Where, and How to File
- Accounting Files and Methods
- Info on Extensions, Amendments, and Late or Missed Filing Penalties
Specific Instructions:
- Revenue, Expenses, and Changes in Net Assets or Fund Balances
- Balance Sheets
- Statement of Program Service Accomplishments
- Compensation of Officers, Directors, Trustees, Key Employees, Highest Compensated Employees, and Independent Contractors
- Checklist of Required Schedules
- And more (depending on the version of the form you file)
Here’s the IRS’s list of all the forms, schedules, and instructions.
If you need additional education or guidance on how to file your tax forms, the IRS offers a variety of tools, including virtual training mini-courses on how to stay tax-exempt; info on the life cycle of a tax-exempt organization; current statistical trends of tax-exempt nonprofits; and opportunities for live, in-person training.
Find these tax training tools and more here.
What Other Nonprofit Tax Forms Are Online?
Your 990 is the form you file when you’re reporting on finances to maintain tax-exempt status, but there are several other important forms you may need to access when the situation arises.
This could be for any number of reasons, including that you need to submit a filing extension, or you need to make a change in your tax-exempt status.
These Are a Few of the Forms You May Need to Access as a Nonprofit:
Form 1023: 501(c)(3) organizations must file this form when seeking tax-exempt status or to reinstate tax exempt status with the IRS if they do not meet the filing requirements of the 1023-EZ.
Form 1023-EZ: for small to medium sized 501(c)(3)s seeking tax-exempt status. You must file the full 1023 if any of the following are true: your gross receipts exceeded $50,000 in the past three years or are projected to exceed that amount in the following three years; your total assets are in excess of $250,000; other stipulations mentioned on the 1023-EZ instructions.
Note: Remember to register with pay.gov before filing.
Other Organizations Eligible for Tax Exempt Status: for social welfare organizations (forms 8976 and 1024-A) and other nonprofits (form 1024) seeking tax-exempt status.
Form 8868: for requesting an automatic 6-month filing extension for your tax documents and attached schedules from your filing deadline.
Form 7004: for requesting an automatic 6-month filing extension for “Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns” (such as political groups that filed an 1120-POL, mentioned above).
Why Certified Nonprofit Tax e-Filers Are Awesome
If you made it to this point, congrats. As you can see, even when distilled, there is a ton of information out there on nonprofit tax filing. To say it’s overwhelming is an understatement.
That’s where your IRS certified e-Filer comes in.
File 990 will file your 990-EZ or 990-N form electronically, and all we need from you is some basic info about your organization to get started.
We’ll ensure you file on time by reminding you when your deadline is approaching each year, and the info you provide is stored securely.
We also offer an enterprise option for those who need to manage multiple chapters or entities.
Have questions about your 990 filing or want to learn more about our e-filing services? Call us at (859) 309-3641 or email info@file990.org.
