IRS Launches New Online Tool for Obtaining Information Regarding Exempt Organizations

By Drew Cheney March 6, 2012

On March 14, 2012, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued IR-2012-34, to announce a new tool on its website for finding key information about tax-exempt organizations.  This new area of the website is called Exempt Organization Select Check and can be found here.

Among other things, Select Check can be used to verify that an organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions.  If an organization is listed here, contributors can rely on the listing to support the fact that the contribution is made to an eligible organization.  (Please note, however, that there are other requirements for substantiating a deductible contribution, including in many cases a contemporaneous written acknowledgment from the charity.)

In addition, Select Check can be used to determine whether an organization has had its exemption automatically revoked for failure to file a Form 990 series return for 3 years, and to determine whether an organization has filed Form 990-N (the e-postcard).

Much of the above information existed previously on the IRS website.  However, Select Check appears to offer a much more user-friendly way to access the information.  For example, the search function has been greatly enhanced.  Also, the IRS has indicated that Select Check will enable it to offer much more timely updates regarding an organization’s status.

For more information regarding Select Check, please do not hesitate to contact Drew Cheney or your BNN professional at 1.800.244.7444.