scared,
Don't panic. You have plenty of time. Like kmamom said, start with the Publication 557, your state's Departments of State (for incorporation info) and Revenue Services (for tax info).
You have 15 months from the date your organization is formed to submit your application. If you go past that 15 months, your time before that date is evaluated under a different section (509 something). It is in the 557 pub and doesn't affect your non-profit determination.
I have electronic copies of some of the stuff I submitted that you might be able to use as a guide if you're interested. Just drop me an email.
Remember, it is worth the headache to get it done.
Good luck.
It may be different in each state. Our PTO was established in 1996 they had an EIN # but not tax exempt and never filed a return. Last year we went through the steps to get our tax exempt # and filed for the first time.....we were not penalized. Although, I would recommend not waiting that long (haha). Good Luck! I know it is a lot of work.
Go online and check with your state's treasury department sites (in NJ I think you have 6 months after the end of a fiscal year to file as a nonprofit corporation), and with the IRS websites, publication 557 has info, (I believe you have 15 months there, but don't quote me). I'm kicking myself, because I can't remember where, when or who (maybe it was jonwilson on PTO Management within the last three weeks) who put up a posting about good information in layman's terms being available on this subject.
Our PTO just got up and running this year. As such, we have our EIN # but have not yet filed for our non-profit status. What happens if this has not been completed by the end of the fiscal year, or by the time we need to file?
