Verify the Status of a Charity before you Make a Donation:
If you have found the charity you feel deserves your hard-earned money, but you are uncertain of the legitimacy of its charitable status, it is best to do a little research. Some donations made to “charities” are non-deductible due to the organization’s lack of “charitable organization” status with the IRS. IRS now has a tool to help you determine if your donation will indeed be deductible. Following is the latest press release for IRS’s new search tool:
New Tool Provides More Information About Exempt Organizations
The IRS launched a new tool on IRS.gov that gives taxpayers fast and easy access to information about exempt organizations. The new Tax Exempt Organization Search replaces the EO Select Check tool.
Here are some things taxpayers will find when they use the new TEOS tool:
- Images of an organization’s forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF and 990-T filed with the IRS. Initially, only 990 series forms filed in January and February 2018 will be available. New filings will be added monthly.
- More information about exempt organizations than was previously available using EO Select Check.
- A simplified search process.
- TEOS is mobile friendly, which provides access to the search tool using smartphones or tablets.
- Users can access favorable determination letters. These are issued by the IRS when an organization applied for and met the requirements for tax-exempt status. At first, a limited number of determination letters will be available. Eventually, determination letters issued since January 2014 will also be available.
Taxpayers can also use TEOS to find information previously available on EO Select Check. This includes whether an organization:
- Is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
- Has had its tax-exempt status revoked because it failed to file required forms or notices for three consecutive years.
- Filed a Form 990-N annual electronic notice with the IRS; this applies to small organizations only.
Publicly available data from electronically-filed 990 forms is still available through Amazon Web Services.
