Filing Tips for Form 990 (Tax Years 2008 and Later)

Be sure you file the proper version of Form 990 for your tax period

You must use the appropriate Form 990 for the tax period for which you are filing. Penalties may be assessed for failing to file the proper version of Form 990 for the tax period of the return.

Double check your identifying information

Check the accuracy of your EIN, Tax Period and Group Exemption Number (GEN) if applicable. Make sure you indicate the correct Internal Revenue Code Subsection for your organization as indicated in your determination letter.

Complete Parts I through XII

All organizations that file Form 990 must fully complete Parts I through XI of the form.

Be sure to sign the return

 Form 990 is not complete without a proper signature in Part II, Signature Block.  An officer of the organization must sign the return.  For a corporation or association, this officer may be the president, vice president, treasurer, assistant treasurer, chief accounting officer or tax officer.  For a trust, the authorized trustee(s) must sign. 

Do not include unnecessary personal identifying information

Form 990 must be made publicly available by the IRS and the filer; putting personal identifying information not required by the IRS on the return facilitates identify theft.

Determine which schedules are required

 By completing Part IV, Checklist of Required Schedules, you can determine which schedules are required. Be sure to fully complete and attach all of the required schedules.  When completing required schedules, always:

• Carefully read the instructions for each required schedule;
• Complete all applicable parts and lines;
• Answer yes or no to each question (unless otherwise instructed for a particular question);
• Make an entry on all total lines including zero (0) when appropriate;

Complete Schedule A (Form 990 or 990-EZ), Public Charity Status and Public Support

 All section 501(c)(3) or 4947(a)(1) organizations must fully complete and file Schedule A .  You must use the appropriate Schedule A for the tax period for which you are filing.  Penalties may be assessed for failing to file the proper version of Schedule A for the tax period of the return.      

Complete Schedule B (Form 990, 990-EZ or 990-PF), Schedule of Contributors

All organizations must complete and attach Schedule B or certify the organization is not required to attach Schedule B by answering No on Part IV, line 2 of Form 990.

Complete Schedule C (Form 990 or 990-EZ), Political Campaign and Lobbying Activities

Section 501(c) and section 527 organizations use Schedule C to furnish additional information on political campaign and lobbying activities.

Complete Schedule D (Form 990), Supplemental Financial Information

Schedule D  provides required reporting for donor advised funds, conservation easements, endowments, escrow and custodial accounts, reconciliation with financial statements, and certain other supplemental financial information.

Complete Schedule E (Form 990 or 990-EZ), Schools

Schedule E must be completed by an organization that is a school as described in Code section
170(b)(1)(A)(ii).

Complete Schedule J (Form 990), Compensation

Schedule J  must be filed to report certain compensation information. 

Complete Schedule L (Form 990 or 990-EZ)

Schedule L, Transactions with Interested Persons, must be completed by organizations required to report excess benefit transactions, loans to or from directors, trustees, officers, key employees, or disqualified persons, grants or other assistance to interested persons, and business transactions with interested persons. 

Complete Schedule R (Form 990), Related Organizations and Unrelated Partnerships

Organizations that answered Yes to Form 990, Part IV, lines 33, 34, 35, 36, or 37 must complete and attach Schedule R, Related Organizations, to report relationships and certain transactions with such organizations. 

Complete Schedule O (Form 990), Supplemental Information for Form 990

Schedule O is an "open" schedule that must be filed by all organizations that file Form 990.  It is used to provide IRS with narrative information required for responses to specific questions, and to supplement or explain the organization’s responses to other questions.  At a minimum, all organizations must provide explanations to their answers to Form 990, Part VI, lines 11b and 19.