The Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division (TEGE) invites you to join us for a free Zoom awareness meeting on either January 12, 2021 or January 14, 2021.

This meeting is designed to help exempt organizations understand the new Form 1099-NEC (Non-Employee Compensation) reporting requirements for the 2020 filing season.  Each session is limited to the first 950 participants.

Dates and Times:

Several dates and times offered to maximize the reach of the event.

Tuesday January 12th, 2021

9:00 a.m. Eastern – Meeting ID: 161 617 7980

2:00 p.m. Eastern – Meeting ID: 160 527 4160

Thursday January 14th, 2021

11:00 a.m. Eastern – Meeting ID: 160 684 3808

4:00 p.m. Eastern – Meeting ID: 161 660 1009

Participants may also join via voice call using the following information:

Dial by your location and input the meeting ID when prompted:

• +1 669 254 5252 US
  

TE/GE has updated its Compliance Program and Prioritieswebpage. This page provides information about initiatives under each of our compliance program’s six components that work together to promote compliance by tax-exempt and government entities:

• Compliance Strategies
• Data-Driven Approaches
• Referrals, Claims and Other Casework
• Compliance Contacts
• Determinations
• Voluntary Compliance and Other Technical Programs

We’ll update this page at the beginning of each fiscal year quarter with information about new initiatives. Visit the page today to learn more about each of these six components and the initiatives supporting each component, including our new initiatives under:

• Compliance Strategies
  • TE/GE: Worker Classification
  • Employee Plans: Required Minimum Distributions in Large Defined Benefit Plans
  • Employee Plans: Earned Income for Self-Employed Plans
• Compliance Contacts
  • Employee Plans: Inflated assets
  • Employee Plans: Partial Termination/Partial Vesting
  • Exempt Organizations: IRC 509(a)(3) Organizations Misfiling Form 990-N

Year-end reminder: Expanded tax benefits help individuals and businesses give to charity during 2020 

The IRS today explained how expanded tax benefits can help both individuals and businesses give to charity before the end of this year.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted last spring, includes four temporary tax changes that are designed to help people and businesses who give to charity this year. Here is a rundown of these key changes. 

Update on Mandatory E-Filing in 2021

The Taxpayer First Act, enacted July 1, 2019, requires tax-exempt organizations to electronically file information returns and related forms. The new law affects tax-exempt organizations in tax years beginning after July 1, 2019. 

• Tax Year 2020 Forms 990-T & 4720 Are Being Revised and Will be Available for E-filing in 2021

In 2020, the IRS continued to accept paper Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income

Special Tax Deduction for Cash Donations to Charities in 2020

In the latest post on A Closer Look, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Commissioner Edward Killen reminds taxpayers there’s a special deduction for cash donations of up to $300 to a qualified charity in 2020. This $300 deduction is designed for taxpayers who take the standard deduction and aren’t normally able to deduct their donations.

Before making a donation, use the Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool on IRS.gov/TEOS to make sure the charitable organization is eligible for tax-deductible donations.

The post also includes several other important reminders for taxpayers and charities, along with information and links to other temporary provisions of the relief provided in the CARES Act.

IRS Accepting Digital Signatures and Emailed Documents

The IRS issued a memorandum (PDF) that extends (through June 30, 2021) IRS employees’ ability to accept:

• Images of signatures
  

The Tax Exempt & Government Entities (TE/GE) FY 2021 Program Letter (PDF) lists our priorities for this new fiscal year. We’ll also use our new Compliance Program and Priorities webpage to provide information about additional priorities at the end of each quarter during the fiscal year.

Our FY 2021 compliance program and prioritiesalign with the IRS Strategic Goals:

• Strengthen Compliance Activities
• Improve Operational Efficiencies
• Maintain a Taxpayer-Focused Organization
• Ensure Awareness and Collective Understanding
• Leverage Technology and Data Analytics
• Develop Our Workforce

We’ll release a summary of our FY 2020 accomplishments when all the data is available. You can also view our annual program (or work plan) and accomplishment letters for previous years.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is combating fraud by once again joining organizations around the world to highlight the third annual International Charity Fraud Awareness Week, Oct. 19-23.

International Charity Fraud Awareness Week (ICFAW) brings together everyone involved in the charity and not-for-profit sectors to raise awareness of and share good practices for tackling fraud and cybercrime. This award-winning campaign is led by a coalition of over 40 charities, regulators, law enforcement organizations, representative and umbrella bodies, and other not-for-profit stakeholders.

The IRS is partnering with ICFAW as part of its ongoing commitment to fight fraud against charities, businesses and individuals.

All charities are susceptible to fraud and can be targeted. Those providing services and supporting local communities may be especially vulnerable to fraudsters attempting to exploit the current pandemic or weather-related disasters. More than ever, charities need to be fraud aware and take steps to protect their money,

On July 15, 2020, the IRS issued interim guidance (IG) providing instructions to examiners on how to inform churches of the option to authorize the Service to consider church claims for refund or requests for abatement without following the otherwise applicable procedures of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 7611. The IRS generally must follow several procedural steps under Section 7611 before it can commence an inquiry or examination of a church.

Section 7611 and the related regulations permit a church to waive the application of these procedures by submitting a written waiver. Absent a waiver, the IRS follows these procedures even if the church initiated the contact. For example, if the IRS is requesting information to verify and process a church’s claim for refund or request for abatement.

As described in the IG, the IRS developed a voluntary written waiver process to allow more expeditious processing of these claims

Annual filings and tax returns/payments due July 15, 2020

The extended deadline for a variety of information and tax returns and many tax payments is July 15, 2020. If you are unable to meet the July 15 deadline, you may want to review the extension procedures for exempt organization returns and information on the penalties for not filing.

EO user fee changes effective July 1, 2020

Revenue Procedure 2020-5 included user fee changes for certain miscellaneous determination requests submitted on Form 8940 that are effective July 1st.  See Appendix A of Rev. Proc. 2020-5 for a schedule of user fees.

Electronic filing mandate for Forms 990 and 990-PF

Effective for tax years beginning after July 1, 2019, the Taxpayer First Act requires organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(a) to file their annual Form 990 and Form 990-PF returns electronically,

Chambers & Partners has recognized Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in the 2020 edition of Chambers High Net Worth Guide. The publication named 10 Private Client and Family Asset Protection lawyers across the globe as leading lawyers in their field.

 The Chambers High Net Worth Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms for international private wealth. The guide also recommends leading accountancy firms, private banks, wealth managers, trust companies and other professional advisers to HNW and UHNW clients around the world.

FIRM RANKINGS:

Georgia

Private Wealth Law – Band 2

London (Firms)

Private Wealth Law – Band 3

Missouri

Private Wealth Law – Band 1

Russia

Private Wealth Law – Band 3

RANKED LAWYERS:

Family/Matrimonial: High Net Worth

UK

Elizabeth Hicks – Band 1

Private Wealth Law

GEORGIA

Kimberly Civins – Band 2

Tiffany McKenzie – Up and Coming

LONDON (FIRMS)

Damian Bloom – Band 3

Reshmi

IRS solicits public comments on proposed changes to group exemption letter program; will temporarily stop accepting requests for group exemption letters on June 17, 2020 

Notice 2020-36 contains a proposed revenue procedure that sets forth updated procedures under which recognition of exemption from federal income tax for organizations described in Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code may be obtained on a group basis for subordinate organizations affiliated with and under the general supervision or control of a central organization. The IRS requests comments on all aspects of the proposed revenue procedure, including applicable grandfather and transition rules. Comments should be submitted on or before August 16, 2020.

Pending publication of the final revenue procedure in the Internal Revenue Bulletin, Rev. Proc. 80-27 continues to apply. However, the IRS will not accept any requests for group exemption letters beginning June 17, 2020, until publication of the final revenue procedure