501(c)(3) organization. A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 501(c) nonprofit organizations in the US.
Submit Form 8976: File Form 8976 with the IRS. This form notifies the IRS that you plan to operate your nonprofit as a section 501(c)(4) organization³ Submit Form 1024: Acquire tax-exemption status by filing Form 1024 with the IRS⁴ File Form 990 annually: Submit Form 990 every year.
To apply for an employer identification number, you should obtain Form SS-4 PDF and its instructions PDF. You can apply for an EIN online, by mail, or by fax. You may also apply by telephone if your organization was formed outside the U.S. or U.S. territories.
Most organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) are required to notify the IRS that they are operating under Section 501(c)(4) within 60 days of formation by filing Form 8976, Notice of Intent to Operate Under Section 501(c)(4). If an organization doesn't submit a timely notification, a penalty will be assessed.
As per the internal revenue code, 501(c)3 is a nonprofit organization for religious, charitable, scientific, and educational purposes. Donations to 501(c)3 are tax-deductible. Whereas on the other hand, 501(c)4 is a social welfare group, and donations to 501(c)4 are not tax-deductible.
To receive a letter of recognition from the IRS, a 501(c)(4) organization must file a Form 1024 (“Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(a)”) within 27 months of formation to receive a letter recognizing exempt status dating back to the formation of the organization.
An example of a 501(c)(1) would be a federal credit union.
Although they are exempt from income taxation, exempt organizations are generally required to file annual returns of their income and expenses with the Internal Revenue Service. Small tax-exempt organizations with gross receipts under a certain threshold may be required to file an annual electronic notice.
Typically, an organization will receive either a determination letter or request for additional information from the IRS within 90 days of submission. REMEMBER: You do not have to wait for your determination letter – official recognition of your status – from the IRS before you can get to work.