All organizations subject to the tax on unrelated business income, except the exempt trusts described in section 511(b)(2),
are taxable at corporate rates on that income. All exempt trusts subject to the tax on unrelated business income that, if
not exempt, would be taxable as trusts are taxable at trust rates on that income. However, an exempt trust may not claim the
deduction for a personal exemption that is normally allowed to a trust.
The tax is imposed on the organization's unrelated business taxable income (described in chapter 4). The tax is reduced by
any applicable tax credits, including the general business credits (such as the investment credit and the alcohol fuel credit)
and the foreign tax credit.
Returns and Filing Requirements
An exempt organization subject to the tax on unrelated business income must file Form 990-T and attach any required supporting
schedules and forms. The obligation to file Form 990-T is in addition to the obligation to file any other required returns.
Form 990-T is required if the organization's gross income from unrelated businesses is $1,000 or more. An exempt organization
must report income from all its unrelated businesses on a single Form 990-T. Each organization must file a separate Form 990-T,
except section 501(c)(2) title holding corporations and organizations receiving their earnings that file a consolidated return
under section 1501.
The various provisions of tax law relating to accounting periods, accounting methods, at-risk limits (described in section
465), assessments, and collection penalties that apply to tax returns generally also apply to Form 990-T.
When to file.
The Form 990-T of an employees' trust described in section 401(a), an IRA (including a traditional, SEP, SIMPLE, Roth,
or Coverdell IRA), or an MSA must be filed by the 15th day of the 4th month after the end of its tax year. The Form 990-T
of any other exempt organization must be filed by the 15th day of the 5th month after the end of its tax year. If the due
date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the return is due by the next business day.
Extension of time to file.
A Form 990-T filer may request an automatic 3-month (6 months for corporation) extension of time to file a return
by submitting Form 8868, Application for Extension of Time To File an Exempt Organization Return. The Form 990-T filer may
also use Form 8868 to apply for an additional (not automatic) 3-month extension to file the return if the original 3-month
extension was not enough time.
Public Inspection Requirements of Section 501(c)(3) Organizations.
Under section 6104(d), a section 501(c)(3) organization that has gross income from an unrelated trade or business
of $1,000 or more must make its annual exempt organization business income tax return (including amended returns) available
for public inspection.
A section 501(c)(3) organization filing the Form 990-T only to request a credit for certain federal excise taxes paid does
not have to make the Form 990-T available for public inspection.
Estimated tax.
A tax-exempt organization must make estimated tax payments if it expects its tax (unrelated business income tax after
certain adjustments) to be $500 or more. Estimated tax payments are generally due by the 15th day of the 4th, 6th, 9th, and
12th months of the tax year. If any due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the payment is due on the next
business day.
Any organization that fails to pay the proper estimated tax when due may be charged an underpayment penalty for the
period of underpayment. Generally, to avoid the estimated tax penalty, the organization must make estimated tax payments that
total 100% of the organization's current tax year liability. However, an organization can base its required estimated tax
payments on 100% of the tax shown on its return for the preceding year (unless no tax is shown) if its taxable income for
each of the 3 preceding tax years was less than $1 million. If an organization's taxable income for any of those years was
$1 million or more, it can base only its first required installment payment on its last year's tax.
All tax-exempt organizations should use Form 990-W (Worksheet),
Estimated Tax on Unrelated Business Taxable Income for Tax-Exempt Organizations, to figure their estimated tax.
Tax due with Form 990-T.
Any tax due with Form 990-T must be paid in full when the return is filed, but no later than the date the return is
due (determined without extensions).
An exempt organization must deposit its unrelated business income tax (including estimated tax) using one of the following
methods.
Electronic deposits.
The organization must make electronic deposits of all depository taxes (such as employment tax, excise tax, and unrelated
business income tax) using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) in 2010 if:
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The total deposits of such taxes in 2008 were more than $200,000 or
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The organization was required to use EFTPS in 2009.
If the organization is required to use EFTPS and fails to do so, it may be subject to a 10% penalty. If the organization
is not required to use EFTPS, it can participate voluntarily. To enroll in or get more information about EFTPS, call 1-800-555-4477
or 1-800-945-8400. To enroll online, visit
www.eftps.gov.
Depositing on time.
For EFTPS deposits to be made timely, the organization must initiate the transaction at least 1 business day before
the date the deposit is due.
Deposits with Form 8109.
If the organization is not required to (or does not voluntarily) make electronic deposits, it must make its deposits
with Form 8109, Federal Tax Deposit Coupon.
The completed Form 8109 with the payment must be mailed or delivered to an authorized depositary (financial institution)
for federal taxes, as instructed on the coupon.
Deposits should not be sent directly to the IRS. A penalty may be imposed if the deposits are sent to an IRS office
rather than to an authorized depositary.
