163: A Runway of Snacks | Can a Religious Nonprofit Apply for Status with the IRS 1023-EZ Short Form?
About this episode
The episode discusses the differences between a church and a religious nonprofit in the context of IRS applications and the implications for tax-exempt status.
So you're a charity grounded in religious values. Does that make you a church in the eyes of the IRS? Meghan and I dig into a listener question that had me doing a genuine double take. A religious nonprofit submitted the 1023-EZ short form and got rejected because the IRS decided they were a church. What gives?! Real Listener Question: "The IRS rejected our 1023-EZ because they think we are a church, which would require the full 1023 form. But we are not a church. We are a religious organization. How do I fix the application to get them to accept our 1023-EZ?" Meghan and I break down the key difference between a church and a religious nonprofit, why the IRS treats them differently, and what this listener may have done wrong on their application. Plus you'll get a classic Jess Birken rant about why the IRS doesn't make any sense! What You'll Learn: How the IRS defines a church versus a religious nonprofit organization How churches file (or don't file) for their tax-exempt status How religious charities are treated differently than churches, mosques, temples, etc. The most common mistakes people make on the 1023-EZ that trigger a rejection How one wrong checkbox or one poorly…
More episodes of Charity Therapy
- 168: Oh, You Dreamers | Can a Flat Organizational Structure Work for a Nonprofit? with Dr. Pablo Otaola
- 167: A Lawsuit Magnet | Do Nonprofits Really Need Directors and Officers Insurance? With Cody Wiswasser
- 166: This Could Have Been An Email | What Is Nonprofit Strategic Planning? with R. Perry Monastero
- 165: The Past Tense of Sync | How to Get a New IRS Determination Letter
- 164: Ermahgerd! | How to Evaluate Executive Director Performance with Debbie Rabishaw
- 162: No, Not the Tomatoes! | Are Nonprofit Startup Costs Tax-Deductible Donations for the Founder?
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