The Internal Revenue Service today announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2008. Taxpayers may use the optional standard rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Unfortunately, the rate for providing services for charitable organizations is set by statute, not the IRS, and remains at 14 cents a mile.  MORE »

The Service is reminding small tax-exempt organizations whose tax year ended on December 31, 2007 that the first e-Postcards are due by May 15, 2008. For organizations with a tax year that ends after December 31, 2007, the e-Postcard is due by the 15th day of the 5th month after the close of their tax year.  MORE »

The Internal Revenue Service recently released for public comment the draft instructions to the 2008 Form 990, which is the return most tax-exempt organizations must file annually. The IRS seeks public comment on the draft instructions to ensure that the final instructions meet the needs of the tax-exempt community. The public comment period will run until June 1, 2008.

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The Internal Revenue Service has announced the launch of a simple online filing system that small tax-exempt organizations can use to comply with a new law requiring them to file an annual return. It has also launched a disclosure website where the public can view a particular organization's e-Postcard.  MORE »

Following Wednesday's 352 to 64 House vote to pass the Senate amended Alternative Minimum Tax patch without offsetting tax increases, the IRS has announced it will immediately begin the final reprogramming steps for its income-tax processing systems to prepare for the upcoming tax season, and provide the tax professional and software communities with revised copies of the 12 tax forms impacted by the AMT legislation.  MORE »

The IRS has announced the release of a redesigned Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, the form that most public charities and other tax-exempt organizations are required to file annually. The 2008 Form 990 and background materials about the Form 990 redesign are available on the IRS Charities and Nonprofits Web site. The new form will be used for the 2008 tax year starting in 2009.  MORE »

The Internal Revenue Service has reminded section 501(c)(3) organizations, including charities and churches, that federal law prohibits them from becoming directly or indirectly involved in campaigns of political candidates and has provided references to resources where organizations can review these rules.  MORE »

The Internal Revenue Service on November 2 warned taxpayers to be on the lookout for a new e-mail scam that appears to be a solicitation from the IRS and the U.S. government for charitable contributions to victims of the recent Southern California wildfires. The scheme seeks to trick recipients into providing personal financial that can be used to steal their assets and may also cause malicious softwared to be downloaded onto the recipient's computer.  MORE »

The IRS has announced that taxpayers can now request an Employer Identification Number (EIN) (necessary, for example, for charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and nonprofit organizations) through a Web-based system that instantly processes requests and generates identification numbers in real time.  MORE »

The annual May 15 filing deadline is here for many nonprofits, and the IRS urges any of these organizations that paid the three percent telephone tax to be sure to request this special refund. The telephone tax refund is also available to churches and small tax-exempt organizations that don?t normally file annual returns with the IRS.  MORE »