Posted on November 28, 2003

Philanthropy and Voluntarism

To help charities better understand the laws conferring tax-exempt status, the Internal Revenue Service has published two brochures. IRS publication 4220, Applying for 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status (16 pages, PDF), reviews the eligibility requirements for nonprofit status, provides application instructions, and outlines various recordkeeping and filing requirements. Publication 4221, Compliance Guide for 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organizations (20 pages, PDF), provides details about nonprofit recordkeeping and disclosure requirements as well as the content of specific tax forms. Both brochures provide references to other IRS publications and forms and telephone support numbers for more complex issues.