I just sent out the first of two 1023's that I'm working on! I have to say that the new application is much more confusing than the last version. (Did that two years ago and used JHB's very detailed notes!!) Still, it wasn't too bad and I'm hoping for a quick determination.
I'm happy to share my notes and attachments. Just email me - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I looked over the new application, and it's not too bad. I filed ours successfully in 2000 and have informally helped several other groups.
Please keep in mind I'm not an accountant or a tax pro, but for some reason, this stuff has never been than daunting for me.
It looks to me like the only schedules that might apply are:
Schedule E. Organizations Not Filing Form 1023 Within 27 Months of Formation
A lot of organizations operate informally and when they get to to point of filing 501(c)(3), the current officers may have little concrete info from the past. We were in this boat and chose to start a new organization fresh rather than consider it a continuation of the old PTO. But it doesn't sound like a big deal to continue it, and you'd need to fill out this form if the PTO has been around more than 27 months.
Schedule H. Organizations Providing Scholarships, Fellowships, Educational Loans, or Other Educational Grants to Individuals and Private Foundations Requesting Advance Approval of Individual Grant Procedures
Reading the instructions - I don't think this form would apply to most PTOs unless they award scholarships. When you fill out your 990 annual return, you'll see that distributions from the PTO to the school are called "grants" in IRS language. But this form seems to only apply if you give educational scholarships or grants to individuals.
So most PTOs probably won't complete any schedules.
If you want help filling out the application, I'll be glad to work with you. We could do it via email - either of you or the 3 of us.
If we do this, then we can make notes and have some documentation for others to use.
Email me if you are interested. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I filed under the old version several years ago, so I don't know if what I'm going to say will help at all. But then we filed:
</font>
8718 User Fee for Exempt Organization Determination Letter Request (which is now Part XI of Form 1023)</font>
872-C Consent Fixing Period of Limitation Upon Assemsment of Tax Under Section 4940 of Internal Revenue Code (which is now incorporated into Part X, Public Charity Status, of Form 1023)</font>
Form 1023 Application For Recognition of Exemption (pages 1-9).</font>
No schedules.
Now there's a new New Schedule E, Organizations Not Filing Form 1023 Within 27 Months of Formation, was created. You might need that one.</font>
Attachments included our Constitution & Bylaws, our membership form, our budget (which could have been done as part of the form), and, of course, the check for $500.
If I have time, I'll take a look at the new application and see how different it is. But you'd be better off if someone who's actually filed it responds.
To make a long story short...I've spent two years attempting to bring our PTO current with it's bylaws and legal obligations. I spent last year rewriting our bylaws and now I'm working on our 501c3 filing. How do I know which Schedule to file?? For tax purposes it looks like we'll be able to file the 990-EZ. I just recently downloaded the new 1023 that was updated Oct 2004 and I'm boggled by some of the info they ask for. I've got the by-laws, the EIN and now I'm slowly digging thru the 1023. Can anyone point me in the right direction as far as the schedules go??? This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
