I'm on the board of a small nonprofit, and our treasurer is trying to
file a 990-N (the postcard-sized return, only filable on the IRS
website, electronically). But on the page ><https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/annual-electronic-filing- >requirement-for-small-exempt-organizations-form-990-n-e-postcard>
there's a banner:
"Service Outage
This service is unavailable. Check back later. Thank you for your
patience."
And <https://sa.www4.irs.gov/epostcard/> has a page title of "Planned
outage" with this text:
"This service will be unavailable due to system maintenance. We
apologize for any inconvenience. If more information is available,
you can find it by selecting the service from the Tools page."
"Tools page" is a link to <https://www.irs.gov/help/tools>, which
doesn't even mention nonprofits.
This has been the situation for at least two weeks.
Anyone know when -- or if -- form 990-N will be available for filing?
I know we have the option to file form 990 instead, but that's more
work, and since it would be on paper we would worry about when (or
if) the IRS receives it.
The deadline is the same as the 990, May 15 or the 15 day of the fifth
month after close of non-calendar year fiscal year. I've filed them
really late once or twice, during the 10th or 11th month. They still get >accepted. Just ask your treasurer to check on it every so often and
to have a little patience.
I know we have the option to file form 990 instead, but that's more
work, and since it would be on paper we would worry about when (or
if) the IRS receives it.
I'm on the board of a small nonprofit, and our treasurer is trying to
file a 990-N (the postcard-sized return, only filable on the IRS
website, electronically). . . .
According to Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com>:
The deadline is the same as the 990, May 15 or the 15 day of the
fifth month after close of non-calendar year fiscal year. I've
filed them really late once or twice, during the 10th or 11th
month. They still get accepted. Just ask your treasurer to check
on it every so often and to have a little patience.
Agreed. That's what I'm doing for my tiny nonprofit.
I know we have the option to file form 990 instead, but that's
more work, and since it would be on paper we would worry about
when (or if) the IRS receives it.
The point of 990-N is at least as much to make life easier for the
IRS as it is for non-profits. The IRS does not want a flurry of
paper forms from tiny organizations. Just wait. In the unlikely
event that the 990-N system isn't fixed by May, they're much more
likely to tell people to wait than to send paper.
The penalty for late filing of a 990 is basically nothing. After a
few years, the IRS will notice and write you a letter reminding
you that if you don't catch up, they will cancel your exempt
status. Even then, you file your late 990s, and you're all set. I
look at a fair number of 990s and I see late filed ones all the
time, even for pretty big organizations.
"John Levine" <johnl@taugh.com> wrote:
According to Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com>:
The deadline is the same as the 990, May 15 or the 15 day of the
fifth month after close of non-calendar year fiscal year. I've
filed them really late once or twice, during the 10th or 11th
month. They still get accepted. Just ask your treasurer to check
on it every so often and to have a little patience.
Agreed. That's what I'm doing for my tiny nonprofit.
I know we have the option to file form 990 instead, but that's
more work, and since it would be on paper we would worry about
when (or if) the IRS receives it.
The point of 990-N is at least as much to make life easier for the
IRS as it is for non-profits. The IRS does not want a flurry of
paper forms from tiny organizations. Just wait. In the unlikely
event that the 990-N system isn't fixed by May, they're much more
likely to tell people to wait than to send paper.
The penalty for late filing of a 990 is basically nothing. After a
few years, the IRS will notice and write you a letter reminding
you that if you don't catch up, they will cancel your exempt
status. Even then, you file your late 990s, and you're all set. I
look at a fair number of 990s and I see late filed ones all the
time, even for pretty big organizations.
In general the IRS doesn't charge a penalty if you had good cause to
do whatever incurred the penalty. Their website not accepting the
990-N seems like pretty good cause to me.
Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:
I'm on the board of a small nonprofit, and our treasurer is trying to
file a 990-N (the postcard-sized return, only filable on the IRS
website, electronically). . . .
https://sa.www4.irs.gov/secureaccess/ui/
On this page, I'm offered different sign in methods. I don't have a
need to file a 990-N to test it, but ask your treasurer to see if he can
sign in and file.
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