Question. My organization’s tax-exempt status was revoked by the IRS. What can I do?
Answer: If an organization has had its tax-exempt status automatically revoked and wishes to have that status reinstated, it must file an application for exemption and pay the appropriate user fee even if it was not required to apply for exempt status initially.
In a new Revenue Procedure 2014-11, the IRS explains the four procedures an organization may use to apply for reinstatement. If the IRS determines that the organization meets the requirements for tax-exempt status, it will issue a new determination letter.
Upon reinstatement, the IRS also will include the reinstated organization in the next update of Exempt Organizations Select Check (Pub. 78 database), and indicate in the IRS Business Master File (BMF) extract that the organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Donors and others may rely upon the new IRS determination letter as of its stated effective date and on the updated Exempt Organizations Select Check and BMF extract listings.
The following is a quick summary of the legal options that may be available to your organization through the Perliski Law Group:
Streamlined Retroactive Reinstatement
Organizations that were eligible to file 990-EZ or 990-N (ePostcard) for the three years that caused their revocation may have their tax-exempt status retroactively reinstated to the date of revocation if they:
1. Have not previously had their tax-exempt status automatically revoked.
2. Complete and submit Form 1023 or Form 1024 with the appropriate user fee not later than 15 months after the later of the date of the organization’s Revocation Letter (CP-120A) or the date the organization appeared on the Revocation List on the IRS website.
Retroactive Reinstatement Process (Within 15 Months)
Organizations that cannot use the Streamlined Retroactive Reinstatement Process (such as those that were required to file Form 990 or Form 990-PF for any of the three years that caused revocation or those that were previously auto-revoked) may have their tax-exempt status retroactively reinstated to the date of revocation if they:
1. Complete and submit Form 1023 or Form 1024 with the appropriate user fee not later than 15 months after the later of the date on the organization’s revocation letter (CP-120A) or the date the organization appeared on the Revocation List on the IRS website.
2. Include with the application a statement establishing that the organization had reasonable cause for its failure to file a required annual return for at least one of the three consecutive years in which it failed to file.
3. Include with the application a statement confirming that it has filed required returns for those three years and for any other taxable years after such period and before the post-mark date of the application for which required returns were due and not filed.
4.File properly completed and executed paper annual returns for the three consecutive years that caused the revocation and any following years.
In most cases, the effective date of reinstated exemption will be the date that the organization’s exemption application was submitted to the IRS. However, organizations may choose to request that reinstatement be retroactive to the effective date of revocation. The IRS will grant retroactive reinstatement of exemption under certain limited circumstances. Because the list is an official IRS record of organizations that lost their exempt status for failing to file for three consecutive years, an organization whose exempt status is reinstated remains on the list.
Retroactive Reinstatement (After 15 Months)
Organizations that apply for reinstatement more than 15 months after the later of the date on the organization’s revocation letter (CP-120A) or the date the organization appeared on the Revocation List on the IRS website may have their tax-exempt status retroactively reinstated to the date of revocation if they:
1. Satisfy all of the requirements described under the “Retroactive Reinstatement (Within 15 Months)” procedure EXCEPT that the reasonable cause statement the organization includes with its application must establish reasonable cause for its failure to file a required annual return for all three consecutive years in which it failed to file.
What’s a Reasonable Cause Statement?
A reasonable cause statement establishes that an organization exercised ordinary business care and prudence in determining and attempting to comply with its annual reporting requirement. The statement should have a detailed description of all the facts and circumstances about why the organization failed to file, how it discovered the failure, and the steps it has taken or will take to avoid or mitigate future failures.