Electronic filing of the 990.Tax-exempt organizations can file their information returns for tax year 2004 electronically via a new free Web service launched by the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS NCCS National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship NCCS National Center for Charitable Statistics NCCS National Children's Cancer Society NCCS North Canton City Schools (Ohio) NCCS National Catholic Committee on Scouting ). Last year, more than 450,000 organizations sent the Internal Revenue Service ORS ORS oral rehydration salts. Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) A liquid preparation developed by the World Health Organization that can decrease fluid loss in persons with diarrhea. ) paper copies of Form 990, the annual information return for tax-exempt entities. With 990 Online--available at http://efile.form990.org/--these organizations can file returns with the same ease and accuracy enjoyed by individual taxpayers who e-file. Earlier this month, the IRS An abbreviation for the Internal Revenue Service, a federal agency charged with the responsibility of administering and enforcing internal revenue laws. released regulations requiring certain tax-exempt organizations to e-file their information returns. Although the rule does not go into effect until 2006, many nonprofits can get a head start this year by c-filing through NCCS's 990 Online. "990 Online makes it easy for both large and small organizations to complete their Form 990s or 990-EZs" said Linda Lampkin, NCCS program director. "It calculates totals, includes nearly 50 standard attachments, provides line-by-line links to IRS instructions and to tips from a CPA (Computer Press Association, Landing, NJ) An earlier membership organization founded in 1983 that promoted excellence in computer journalism. Its annual awards honored outstanding examples in print, broadcast and electronic media. The CPA disbanded in 2000. specializing in nonprofits, and verifies the accuracy and consistency of the return. It also creates PDF files See PDF. for printing or distributing." NCCS, a program of the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy philanthropy, the spirit of active goodwill toward others as demonstrated in efforts to promote their welfare. The term is often used interchangeably with charity. , is a national clearinghouse of research data on the nonprofit sector in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . The benefits of e-filing, said Lampkin, include heightened efficiency and accuracy, a streamlined reporting process, and the eventual availability of nonprofit reporting forms at one easily accessible location. E-filing will increase nonprofit accountability by enabling donors, watchdog groups, policymakers, and others to better assess how well nonprofits are operating, said Lampkin. Also, such organizations as GuideStar, state charity offices, NCCS, and the IRS will be able to stop keypunching information and focus their resources on using the data, especially the improved organizational finance and performance information. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion