Would anyone with recent (last 5-10 years?) experience in completing Form 1023 for IRS tax-exempt status, be willing to share a copy of your application and narrative attachments? I am also interested in learning how long the approval process was, any pitfalls or problems experienced, etc. I am nearing completion of our form 1023 and would like to compare notes w/ others who have gone through this.

Thanks in advance!

BBrundage:

There are some old discussions that may help you. I pasted in a copy of our answers from a 2002 PTO filing (text summary). Important - the form has changed since then, so the numbers/letters won't align. But much of the information is the same, plus I mentioned the mistakes we made. Here's a link to that version of the (blank) 1023 form (Rev 1998) in case you want to compare. The typed answers are pretty cryptic without the form.

Example from an astronomy club.

Discussion of narrative of PTO activities

Discussion of p8 VIII scholarships

Discussion of Form 1023, Part VI Question
Do any of your programs limit the provision of goods, services, or funds to a specific individual or group of specific individuals?

Another discussion of Part IV narrative of activities


As far as timing - many of us filed back when it took 6 weeks. Now I believe the lead time is about 6 months. The IRS now has a website devoted to Where is my Exemption Application?

Good luck and keep us posted on how it works out for you.

JHB:

Thank you very much! I'll be glad to keep you posted on our experience.

We filed in March, got a response in August (needed to update our articles of amendment), and finally got approved in October.

Someone please help me with this 501 c 3!!!!!!!! This is so confusing. Does anyone have a sample of their Articles of Incorporation that I can view to help in writing out ours? We are becoming a PTO as an unincorporated organization. The sample they give on the IRS website is quite confusing...because it's not in layman terms, of course.

Am I just stupid!?!? I am soo frustrated with this whole trying to dissolve our PTA and become a PTO situation. I am in the process of trying to get our non-profit status. Everyone is telling me it's not as hard as you think it is.......well, I am going crazy with phone call after phone call to the IRS and not getting anywhere. I am asking them a simple question...

On the IRS website under the Life Cycle of a Public Charity, there's a sample of Articles of Incorporation. Draft A and Draft B. Well, I have typed word for word Draft A. In section 3 of the Articles it states...Said corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any furture federal tax code.

My question...if we are a PTO, do I need to say all this? For example "religious" or "scientific"? I just want someone to recite to me exactly what I should say and I'll type it, but they keep telling me they can't tell me what to say there because they are not authorized!

Now in Article 6 of that draft..."Upon dissolution of the corporation..." if we dissolve we would want all our assets to be donated to the school. How do I say that in all that legal mumbo jumbo?

I'm beginning to think that all this is not worth it and staying a PTA, even though we really want to dissolve it.