Title: Tax Exemption: Core Concepts
1Tax ExemptionCore ConceptsManagement
Strategies
AICPA NFP10 Session 111
- Terry Miller
- Terry_at_TerryMiller.biz
- 415-333-6320
- www.terrymiller.biz
2Introductions
- Whos here?
- Purpose Today / Framing
- Order of Concepts
- Conceptual Legal / Public Policy Purposes
- Specific Reporting on Form 990
- Management Planning Strategies
- Questions as we go universal vs. fact specific
- Disclaimer
3Objectives
- Objectives
- Issue spotting vs. memorize all
- nobody knows everything
- Know when to get help
- dont be penny-wise pound-foolish
- Context the concept of organized operated
- general legal compliance required
- illegal or in contravention of public policy
? exemption
4Session Overview
- Context organization types / regulators / a
word on words - Legal concepts Tax Exemption (The Big Four
2) - Commerciality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . earned
income - Inurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. insiders - Public v. private benefit . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . insiders OR
outsiders - Public policy advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . 1. lobbying, 2. electioneering - Public charity status / public support tests . .
. . . . . . . . for 501(c)(3) charities - Charitable deductions substantiation
disclosure . . . . for (c)(3) charities - Miscellaneous compliance issues
- Reporting Form 990 the rubber hits the road
- Management strategies Planning Opportunities
- Resources
- Supplemental materials
- Related Sessions at NFP10
5Context / Organization Types
- Types Nonprofit Corps, Trusts, LLCs, L3Cs
STATE law - Types of Nonprofit corporations (some states)
- Public Benefit, Mutual Benefit Religious
- Authority
- State Constitution Statutes
- Articles of Incorporation
- Bylaws
- Corporate formalities liability protection
(piercing the veil) - SOS Registration
- IRS Income Tax Exemption Charitable Tax
Deductions - AG Charitable Trust Charitable Solicitation
Registration - Charitable Solicitation Registration
- cy pres
- ?? Sales Property Tax Exemption, Charitable
Gaming
6 Taxation? But were a nonprofit ?!
- Nonprofit state corporation concept
- Tax law levels of benefit by type of Exempt
Organization, known by Internal Revenue Code
Section - 501(c)(1) Created by Congress (c)(2) Title
Holding - 501(c)(3) Charities
- Public Charities
- Private Foundations
- 501(c)(4) Social Welfare / Civic Leagues
- 501(c)(5) Labor / Horticultural
- 501(c)(6) Biz League / Prof Trade Assoc /
Chamber Commerce - 501(c)(7) Social Clubs
- .up to 501(c)(27) and beyond501(d,e,f,k,n), 527
7More complicated than taxable for-profits
- The notion of organized and operated
exclusively - Form 990 is mind-numbing
- Measure whether sufficient exempt function
activity is occurring to justify favorable tax
treatment - Commensurate test
- Tax Exempt (most net income not taxable)
- Tax Deductible (mostly 501(c)(3) organizations)
- Form 990 as a Public Communication tool
- Heightened public focus stoked by scandals
- 2008 Form 990 overhaul first in 30 years
8A word on words
- nonprofit, not-for-profit
- charity
- charitable trust
- EO exempt organization income tax-exempt
- tax deductible as a charitable gift tax
deduction - c3 c4
- PF PC
- new 990
- income support revenue
- UBI UBTI UBIT
- exclusive substantial primary
- facts circumstances
9Legal Concepts
- Legal Concepts
- the Big Four
- (plus assorted details
- the fine print ? )
10Internal Revenue Code501(c) (3) (Complete!
)
- (3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund,
or foundation, organized and operated exclusively
for religious, charitable, scientific, testing
for public safety, literary, or educational
purposes, or to foster national or international
amateur sports competition (but only if no part
of its activities involve the provision of
athletic facilities or equipment), or for the
prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no
part of the net earnings of which inures to the
benefit of any private shareholder or individual,
no substantial part of the activities of which is
carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting,
to influence legislation (except as otherwise
provided in subsection (h)), and which does not
participate in, or intervene in (including the
publishing or distributing of statements), any
political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition
to) any candidate for public office.
(color, bold underlines added)
11Internal Revenue Code501(c) (4),(5) (6)
(Complete)
- (4) (A) Civic leagues or organizations not
organized for profit but operated exclusively for
the promotion of social welfare, or local
associations of employees, the membership of
which is limited to the employees of a designated
person or persons in a particular municipality,
and the net earnings of which are devoted
exclusively to charitable, educational, or
recreational purposes. - (B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to an
entity unless no part of the net earnings of such
entity inures to the benefit of any private
shareholder or individual. - (5) Labor, agricultural, or horticultural
organizations. - (6) Business leagues, chambers of commerce,
real-estate boards, boards of trade, or
professional football leagues (whether or not
administering a pension fund for football
players), not organized for profit and no part of
the net earnings of which inures to the benefit
of any private shareholder or individual.
(color, bold underlines added)
12Legal Concepts The Big Four
- Commerciality
- How much can we operate like a business and still
be tax exempt? - Can we charge for services?
- Private Inurement - Insiders
- How much can we pay the boss?
- Can we rent from the Chairperson?
- Public vs. Private Benefit
- Who really benefits from our work, on balance?
- Politics Lobbying
- Can we support candidates for office?
- Can we join a coalition to oppose legislation?
13Commerciality -1
- History
- destination test, until
- NYU / Mueller Macaroni, circa 1950
- Pizza parlor example operated for charitable
(not commercial) purpose - Exempt function income / program service
revenue - income as a by-product of program activity
- The concept of Unrelated Business Income (Tax)
- trade or business
- regularly carried on
- unrelated to the exempt purpose
14Commerciality -2
- Common problem / error technical assistance
- substantially below cost
- Useful exclusions from UBI follow from definition
- passive not carried on at all
- interest, rents royalties (watch out for
debt-financed property) - gains losses
- not regularly carried on
- substantially by volunteers not trade or
business - sale of donated merchandise not trade or
business - convenience of patrons related
- All revenues are one of these three
- Related Exempt Function Income (a/k/a program
svc revenue) - UBTI
- UBI but for exclusion
15Commerciality -3
- Qualified Sponsorship Payments (v. advertising)
- no price item, inducement to buy, comparative
messaging - watch out for web links!
- RESOURCE Session 19 (qualified sponsorships)
- Dual types For-Profit Nonprofit/EO (e.g.
hospitals) - usually means there will be specific guidance
- frustrating issue evolutionary enterprises
(e.g. schools) poaching - RESOURCE Session 55 (hospitals community
benefit) - Commercial sub-activities
- when UBI activity becomes jeopardizing
substantial (?) - for-profit subsidiary
16Private Inurement -1
- about INSIDERS (power to exercise major
influence) - History William Aramony
- (resigned 1992, convicted 1995, released 2001)
- Need for Intermediate Sanctions IRC 4958
- Continued concern driven by juicy scandals
Smithsonian, American University, Irvine
Foundation, etc etc etc - Excess compensation most common issue
- Excess Benefit Transactions includes loans
other (buy/sell/rent) - T. Pattara says Grassley on a tear about this
(recent news about Grassley Boys Girls Clubs)
Congress as a wild card
17Private Inurement -2
- Conflicts of Interest / Conflict of Interest
Policies - Definition?
- IRS concerned about self-dealing
- Confidential information? Settling scores?
- Who covered?
- IRS directors officers (they define officer
to include CEO CFO) - All employees? Volunteers?
- What relationships to report?
- IRS close family business
- Domestic partners? Best friends?
- How declared?
- IRS at least annually report all
relationships that could give rise - Duty of loyalty develop sensitivities to
disclosure openness - How monitored enforced?
- Disclosure recusal is usually enough
18Private Inurement -3
- Section 4958 Overview (c)(3) pub charities
(c)(4) orgs - Penalties doubled by Pension Protection Act
- Severe on individuals
- notion of intermediate sanctions scrambled up
by Caracci case - 4958 rebuttable presumption basics re
disqualified persons - Written comparables, saved with minutes
- Disinterested majority of board, with interested
party/parties out of room - Good faith determination best interest of the
organization - Prior to transaction
- Some in Congress want safe harbor steps required
- IRS considers it best practice pressure to
report - IRS concerned about quality of comparables
- Risks notion of Automatic Excess Benefit
Transactions / Listed Property - RESOURCES Session 48 (intermediate sanctions)
- Session 53 (comparability audits)
19Public v. Private Benefit -1
- 501(c)(3)s 501(c)(4)s
- Subtle / requires step back ask who really
benefits? - NOT about insiders, necessarily
- avoid more than incidental private benefit
- the presence of private benefit, if substantial
in nature, will destroy tax-exempt status
regardless of an organizations other charitable
purposes or activities Marcus Owens on Better
Business Bureau case (Resources) - Charitable class how big? Public?
- Private Benefit IRS new all-purpose hammer?
- commensurate test
- efficiency effectiveness
- dovetails with public skepticism
20Public v. Private Benefit -2
- Famous cases
- American Campaign Academy
- Consumer Credit Counseling
- current Seller-financed Down Payment Assistance
- Governance as indicator of risk audit flag
- v. denial of exemption application
- unpredictable
- good governance policies controls Owens paper
(Pg 111-64), e.g. - broad Board
- clear records on achievements
- conflict of interest whistleblower policies
- commitment to proper arms length
- outside auditor if big enough, internal auditor
- greater disclosure than required
- accountable plan for reimbursements
- compensation process use rebuttable presumption
21Public Policy AdvocacyLobbying v. Politics
- Key distinction Lobbying v. Candidate
Electioneering - big danger in jumbling them !!
- C3 Public Charity Lobbying legislation
- including work on referenda even though elections
involved - C456 Lobbying legislation
- plus certain executive branch decision making
- Electioneering candidates for elected office
- some targeted lobbying IS electioneering
22Public Policy Advocacy Lobbying -1
- 501(c)(3) Public Charities
- History 1930, 1934, 1955, 1970, 1990
- Expenditure Test v. Substantial Part Test
- Expenditure Test more objective (IRC 501(h),
Regs 4911) - Direct v. Grassroots lobbying
- Specific legislative proposal
- Substantial Part Test facts circumstances
- 501(c)(3) Private Foundations
- No explicit lobbying (earmarked / restricted)
- Some wiggle room (general support, or project
support less than the non-lobbying portion of the
project) - mostly they just dont want to hear about it ?
23Public Policy Advocacy Lobbying -2
- 501(c)(non-3) Exempt Organizations
- Unlimited if related to exempt purpose
- 501(c)(4)s (NRA, Sierra Club, etc) lobby a LOT
- 501(c)(5) (Labor unions, Farm Bureau) lobby a LOT
- 501(c)(6) (Trade associations, chambers of
commerce, professional associations) lobby a LOT - 501(c)(7) social recreational not so much
- Different definitions legislation (other than
local), plus certain executive branch policies - Business dues non-deductible as biz expense if
used for lobbying, must apply dues income first
to Lobbying - Notify members of non-deductible portion, or
- Pay 35 proxy tax
24Public Policy Advocacy Lobbying -3
- Remember this has been about TAX law
- Fed / State / (Local?) ethics registration
rules such as Congressional Lobbying Disclosure
Act (LDA) - Trigger points ( level)
- Different definitions
- Wining dining gifts travel, money in
politics, including by individuals from
organization (!) - LDA allows public charities that have elected the
expenditure test to use some of the tax
definitions - Ballot measures may involve State election
commissions and PAC regulation / registration /
reporting - RESOURCE Session 43 (elect lobbying
reporting beyond tax)
25Public Policy Advocacy Candidate
Electioneering -1
- IRC Section 527 527 Activities political
electioneering - True meaning influence the election of
candidates - 527 As used in the press issue advocacy
targeted at influencing election of candidates
which escapes election commission jurisdiction by
not being explicit - will Citizens United kill off such issue 527s
of this sort? - 501(c)(3) Charities (both PC PF)
- CANDIDATE ELECTIONEERING PROHIBITED
- Revocation and/or penalties on charity AND on
individuals (Board) - Non-partisan voter registration, voter education
get out the vote are all OK if done just right - (think League of Women Voters)
26Public Policy Advocacy Candidate
Electioneering -2
- 501(c)(4,5,6 ) organizations
- Must be not primary purpose, conducted legally,
and consistent with overall exempt purpose - Primary 51/49? No clear standard
- EACH year, no rolling periods
- Legal jurisdiction of FEC or State/Local
equivalents - Usually means hiring election law counel
- Notion of Separate Segregated Fund
- 527 Organizations
- Not just soft PACs / issue 527s includes
parties, candidate cttees - Risk if not political enough
- (more than insubstantial non-exempt purposes)
27Recap The Big Four
- Commerciality
- Exempt Function Income
- Unrelated Business Income
- UBI but for Exclusion(s)
- Inurement insiders
- Public v. Private Benefit insiders or outsiders
- Public Policy Advocacy
- Lobbying v. Candidate Electioneering
- Next
- Private Foundation v. Public Charity the public
support tests - Charitable Deduction Rules
- Misc Compliance Issues
28501(c)(3) Public Charity or Private Foundation?
- 501(c)(3) charities are private foundations (PF)
by default, unless can qualify as a public
charity (PC) - status tests (e.g. school) or public support
tests - Grandmas Foundation vs. Publicly-Supported
Charity - PC is better much less regulated than PF
- better donor deductibility ( of AGI, FMV v.
Basis) - more transactions with insiders allowed safe
harbor avail (for now) - no tax on investment income, fewer excise tax
penalties - may MAKE grants to any entity (including foreign)
for specific charitable purposes (if entity not a
c3) - only practical way to get many PF grants is to be
a PC - may lobby
29PC or PF?Types of Public Charity
- Qualify as Public Charity under IRC 509(a)(1)-(4)
- 509(a)(1) says 170(b)(1)(A)(i) - (vi)
- 170(b)(1)(A)(i) Church status
- 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) School status
- 170(b)(1)(A)(iii) Hospital / medical research
org status - 170(b)(1)(A)(iv) Support org to public college or
univ status - 170(b)(1)(A)(v) Governmental unit status
- 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) Publicly supported charity
gifts test - 509(a)(2) Publicly supported charity fees test
- 509(a)(3) Supporting Org (four sub-types ?) mix
- RESOURCE Session 47 (supporting organizations)
- 509(a)(4) Product Safety Testing Org status
30PC or PF? Public Support Test(s)
- Two Public Support Tests
- Both are complex dynamic formula (mix of donors
revenues by size) - 5 year measurement period
- Advance period for startup dont prove until
Year 6 (2-3-4-5-6) - 509(a)(1) 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) broad gift support
- more forgiving and flexible than (a)(2)
- some changes with New 990
- 509(a)(2) broad base of earned revenue from
program services, plus very small gifts - extraordinarily complex math 1 yr, 5 yr data
from inception - unforgiving, inflexible test
- switching between is OK
31Donor Deductibility -1
- Donor Substantiation (Receipting)
- Publication 1771 Deeper Pub 526
- Cash ( Un-reimbursed Volunteer Participation)
Gifts gt 250 - donor must have receipt with required language if
audited - Cash v. Non-Cash gifts
- valuation internal estimate (books) v. donor
receipt (no value estimate!) - for charitable use vs. for resale key issue
- Quid pro Quo gifts gt 75
- FMV, not cost, stated in Solicitation or Receipt
- TIP fundraising events need TWO income lines
each - exception low cost logo items (coffee mug) for
certain gifts - Common Errors
- Donated services ( whole concept of confusion
about a write-off) - Earmarked for individual beneficiaries
- Non-cash valuations estimated on receipt (donor
pressure!)
earned donated
32Donor Deductibility -2
- Intangible Membership Religious Benefits
- best to read Pub 1771
- rules are pretty common-sense
- Penalties
- Failure to disclose non-deductibility (attn C4s!)
- Failure to provide quid-pro-quo information
- Vehicles, Boats Planes Pub 526
- general direction of law
- Other high-value non-cash items
- 8282 / 8283
- RESOURCE Session 24 (charitable contribution
compliance)
33Other Compliance Issues
- 990 Disclosure (Guidestar does not count)
- 1023/1024 Disclosure
- Complete Accurate Return statute of
limitations, penalties if severe - Late Filing Penalties
- 3 years Non-Filing Revocation
- Donor Advised Funds certain fiscal
sponsorships - Abuses 1) parking place, 2) self-serving
grants, 3) self-serving investments - RESOURCE Session 59 (working with community
fdns) - Foreign Activity PATRIOT Act / know your
customer - RESOURCE Session 36 (foreign operations)
34Reporting Form 990
- Reporting
- Form 990
- (the rubber hits the road)
35Key Parts of the New 990Core Form
PART
- I Summary (dashboard for the public)
- III Program Service Accomplishments
(commensurate test) - IV Checklist of Required Schedules (trigger
questions) - V Other Filings Tax Compliance (various
compliance) - VI Governance, Mgt Disclosure (private
benefit / inurement) - VII Compensation (inurement)
- VIII Revenue (commerciality UBI analysis)
- IX Functional Expenses (commensurate test)
- X Balance Sheet (inurement)
36New 990The 16 Schedules -1
- (Which schedules to file? Based on trigger
question thresholds) - A Public Support Tests / Pub Char Status (public
charity status) - B Contributors (no change from old
990) (deductibility) - C Campaign Lobbying Activity (public policy
advocacy) - D Supplemental Financial Statement
Detail (various) - E Private Schools Education (no substantive
change) (special) - F Foreign Activities Grants (special PATRIOT
Act / terrorism) - G Gaming ( Fundraising) (commerciality private
benefit) - H Hospitals (commensurate test public benefit)
SCHEDULE
37New 990The 16 Schedules -2
- I Grants (Domestic - Inside U.S.) (public
benefit) - J (Justify) Compensation (inurement)
- K Bonds (public benefit compliance)
- L Loans (inurement)
- M Non-Cash Contributions (deductibility excess
benefit) - N Termination / Disposition of Assets (inurement
/ public benefit) - O Open for Narrative Responses (various)
- R Related Organizations (various / public
benefit)
38990 Core Form Pg 1
- see Full-Size Form
- in
- Supplemental Materials !
- (Page 23)
- Core Form Page 1
- Parts I and II
- Dashboard / Overview
39990 Core Form Pg 2
- Core Form Page 2
- Part III
- Program Accomplishments
- Commensurate Test
- Key Communication Tool
40990 Core Form Pg 3
- Core Form Page 3
- Part IV
- Trigger Questions
- threshold(s) where IRS has concern
41990 Core Form Pg 4
- Core Form Page 4
- Part IV continued
42990 Core Form Pg 5
- Core Form Page 5
- Part V
- Other Filings Compliance
43990 Core Form Pg 6
- Core Form Page 6
- Part VI
- Governance, Management Disclosure
- IRS Theory Public v. Private Benefit risk
assessment audit flags - BIG emphasis
44990 Core Form Pg 7
- Core Form Page 7
- Part VII
- Compensation of
- Officers
- Directors (Trustees)
- Key employees
- Highest comped ees
- Former ODKEs
- Inurement
- IRS Focus audit flags more BIG emphasis
45990 Core Form Pg 8
- Core Form Page 8
- Part VII continued
Trigger Questions
46990 Core Form Pg 9
- Core Form Page 9
- Part VIII
- Income (Revenue)
- Support v. revenue
- Classify revenues
- Related
- UBTI
- UBI but for exclusion
47990 Core Form Pg 10
- Core Form Page 10
- Part IX
- Functional expenses
- Program
- Mgt Gen (Admin)
- Fundraising
48990 Core Form Pg 11
- Core Form Page 11
- Part X
- Balance Sheet
- Inurement
49990 Core Form Pg 12
- Core Form Page 12
- Part XI
- Accounting methods, auditors, etc
50Schedule HighlightsSchedule J Pg 1
- Schedule J Page 1
- Inurement
- compensation setting basis practices
- compensation-like reimbursements
51Schedule HighlightsSchedule L
- Schedule L
- Inurement Loans other transactions with
insiders
52Schedule HighlightsSchedule M Pg 1
- Schedule M, Page 1
- Deductibility non-cash gifts
- Private benefit / excess benefit certain
hard-to-value noncash gifts
Governance Type Questions
53Planning Strategies
- Management
- Planning Strategies
54Planning Strategies -1
- General
- Fads fashions in tax law enforcement
- Unfortunate but true
- Australia the tall poppy syndrome
- Read trade publications
- Congress official individual
- Sen. Grassley, but earlier was J.J. Pickle
- Subscribe to IRS free EO Update newsletter
- Read Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Retain counsel
55Planning Strategies -2
- Commerciality
- Broaden exempt purposes amend articles, review
1023 - Master exclusions
- Logo wear vs. message wear
- Sponsorship deals
- if UBTI calculate expenses with consistent
methodology - if UBTI approaching substantial activity
for-profit subsidiary - Inurement
- Benchmarking not everyone is above average /
75th ile ? - Audit committees value squeaky wheels avoid
groupthink - Compensation committee do regular review
document - Learn to spot compensatory reasoning and handle
it correctly - watch out for listed property
- Managing even the appearance of Conflicts of
Interest
56Planning Strategies -3
- Public v. Private Benefit
- Commensurate test think critically
- Mission (re)-evaluation regularly
- New blood
- Take governance seriously
- Public Policy Advocacy
- Master the lobbying rules
- Find one person or committee to really master it
- Train train train
- C3s Watch out for Election Years
- Consider tandem c3/c4 or triad c3/c4/527
57Planning Strategies -4
- Public Support
- the notion of tipping
- run a test at Year 3
- dont panic about 10 facts circumstances
- if tipping, consider alternates
- 509(a)(3)
- 501(c)(4)
- private foundation
- private operating foundation
- sponsored project
- merger into / with another public charity
58Resources Supplemental Materials
- Supplemental Materials
- Form 990 markups Core Form, Schedules J (Pg 1),
L, M (Pg 1) 33 - Types of Tax Exempt Organizations (from
IRS.gov) 48 - Nonprofit Governance, and Effectiveness and
Efficiency of Operations, speech by former IRS
EO Commissioner Steven T. Miller, April 2008 50 - Current Climate for Charities, speech by
Miller, October 2007 58 - More Scrutiny of Charities Expected, Regulators
Told, article about IRS EO Director Lois Lerner
speech to NASCO 63 - UBTI exclusion codes good short reference (from
2007 990 instructions) 66 - Private vs. Public Benefit, Marcus Owens, 2007,
AICPA NFP conference 67 - IRS Pub 1771 Charitable Contributions
Substantiation Disclosure 76 - Bibliography Public Policy Advocacy 84
- Additional Resources 93
59Resources Directly Related Sessions at NFP10
- 19 Qualified Sponsorship Payments (commerciality)
- 22 2009-2010 Tax Year Update (repeats in
49) (general) - 24 Charitable Contribution Compliance (donor
deductions) - 36 Foreign Operations / Schedule
F (anti-terrorism) - 42 New 990 Lessons Ambiguities (general)
- 43 Election Lobbying Reporting Beyond
Tax (policy advocacy) - 47 Supporting Organizations (public charity
status) - 48 Compliance w/ Intermediate Sanctions Rules
4958 (inurement) - 49 (repeat) 2009-2010 Tax Year Update (general)
- 53 Managing Comparability Compensation
Audits (inurement) - 55 Hospitals Community Benefit (special)
- 58 Ask the Experts Panel Tax (varies)
- 59 Working with Community Fdns Planning
Opptys (public support)
60Resources Other EO Tax Sessions at NFP10
- 202 Form 990-T Whats New? (commerciality-UBIT
/ general) - 205 Reporting 403(b) Plans on Form
5500 (inurement) - 6 View from the IRS (general)
- 13 Issues With Related Affiliated
Orgs (varies) - 18 Tax Exempt Bond Compliance (varies)
- 25 Tax Ethics / Practitioners (varies)
- 30 Private Foundations Current Developments
(PF / advanced) - 35 Form 990 Part IX / Functional
Accounting (commensurate test) - 54 Alternative Investments (charitable trust)
- 60 Advanced Non-Qualified Deferred
Comp (inurement)
61End