BUSINESS LAW
Non-profits / Not For Profit
People who organize and run charities are often the dreamers among us – the ones who are willing to go the extra mile to see that the needs of others are met. America remains a special country where any person with enough determination can work to help their neighbor both here at home and abroad. I honor that dedication by providing legal services to nonprofits at a discounted rate. Whether it is the initial formation of your nonprofit entity and the obtaining of your 501c3 charity status from the IRS or you want to set up a private foundation, I can help you. Among my non-profit clients are The Nat and Jack Farrell House, Inc., a 501c3 charity that helps the homeless in Branford, Connecticut, Imago Dei Classical Academy, Inc., an educational co-op in New Britain, Connecticut and Saint Gianna Pregnancy Resource Center, Inc., an outreach to pregnant women and families in New Haven, Connecticut.
FAQs
What does “501c3” mean?
“501c3” refers to 26 U.S.C. Section 501(c)(3) - the Internal Revenue Code section that (in part) grants exemption from federal taxation to qualified charitable organization.
Can I use standard corporate bylaws for my new charitable corporation?
Federal and state law require special provisions to be in the organizing documents of a nonprofit corporation. It is important that those provisions be drafted in accordance with those requirements in order to qualify as a charity to whom donors can make tax free donations. In addition, charitable organizations often have unique requirements of their own that are best addressed in their organizing documents, especially in their bylaws. For these reasons it is not recommended that charities use standard corporate bylaw forms.
My nonprofit doesn’t collect much in the way of donations, do we still have to file with the IRS?
All 501c3 charities need to file with the IRS on an annual basis, even if you do not collect large donations. However, there is a ‘postcard’ filing for small charities – currently (as of 2018) those 501c3 charities that collect less than $50,000 on an annual basis.