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Here is an example where the IRS has gone after a legitimate non-profit organization. And yet how many organizations maintain non-profit status as a way to avoi

by jostmey 13y ago

Here is an example where the IRS has gone after a legitimate non-profit organization. And yet how many organizations maintain non-profit status as a way to avoid higher taxes?

percentcer 13y ago
Presumably more than the number that skip tax filing entirely as a way to avoid higher taxes.
freiheit 13y ago
No, it's not. When you're a non-profit, you file paperwork with the IRS (a form 990 or 990-EZ) that details your income, expenses, officers of the corporation, highest paid employees/contractors (especially ones receiving over $100k), programs (and their accomplishments), etc. You don't actually pay any taxes, but you do "file taxes with the IRS". The data in that form 990 is used to back up the fact that you are legitimately a non-profit corporation serving the public interest. If a non-profit isn't filing their form 990 every year, they don't look legitimate at all. They probably aren't legitimate if they're not filing a form 990. The article mentions that they hadn't done any major fundraising drivers or solicitations for donations from major corporations. If they weren't filing the form 990 for years, that's no surprise, since the form 990 is public information that any major donor would know to look at (or to look at a summary or analysis of the information via guidestar or something like that). Look at the summary of this information and ask yourself if you'd donate $1 after you read it: http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/26-4691413/xorg-foundation.aspx http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/26-4691413/xorg-found...
- Zelphyr 13y ago
  Wait. So they didn't even actually owe any money? All they had to do is send the IRS a form (and potentially an EZ one at that) once a year? I wouldn't consider myself litigious but it sounds to me like there is a legal case against the X.org board and this "accountant".

by jostmey 13y ago

Here is an example where the IRS has gone after a legitimate non-profit organization. And yet how many organizations maintain non-profit status as a way to avoid higher taxes?

percentcer 13y ago

Presumably more than the number that skip tax filing entirely as a way to avoid higher taxes.

freiheit 13y ago

No, it's not. When you're a non-profit, you file paperwork with the IRS (a form 990 or 990-EZ) that details your income, expenses, officers of the corporation, highest paid employees/contractors (especially ones receiving over $100k), programs (and their accomplishments), etc. You don't actually pay any taxes, but you do "file taxes with the IRS". The data in that form 990 is used to back up the fact that you are legitimately a non-profit corporation serving the public interest. If a non-profit isn't filing their form 990 every year, they don't look legitimate at all. They probably aren't legitimate if they're not filing a form 990. The article mentions that they hadn't done any major fundraising drivers or solicitations for donations from major corporations. If they weren't filing the form 990 for years, that's no surprise, since the form 990 is public information that any major donor would know to look at (or to look at a summary or analysis of the information via guidestar or something like that). Look at the summary of this information and ask yourself if you'd donate $1 after you read it: http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/26-4691413/xorg-foundation.aspx http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/26-4691413/xorg-found...

Zelphyr 13y ago
Wait. So they didn't even actually owe any money? All they had to do is send the IRS a form (and potentially an EZ one at that) once a year? I wouldn't consider myself litigious but it sounds to me like there is a legal case against the X.org board and this "accountant".