Determination 200909063: Failure to respond and file Form 990 led to revocation

Plain-English summary

An exempt organization did not respond to IRS correspondence and did not file Form 990 for the examined tax period. Letters sent to its last known address were not returned, but the IRS received no response and could not find other contact information. The organization also failed to provide documents needed to establish that it continued to operate for exempt purposes. The IRS therefore revoked its section 501(c)(3) status effective on the stated date and required it to file corporate income tax returns.

Ruling snapshot

• Question: Could the organization retain section 501(c)(3) status after failing to respond, file Form 990, or provide requested records?
• Outcome: Revocation: the organization did not establish continued qualification for exemption.
• Key authorities: IRC §§ 501(c)(3), 6001, and 6033; Treas. Reg. §§ 1.6001-1 and 1.6033-1(h)(2); Rev. Rul. 59-95.

Full text (IRS public release)

Internal Revenue Service Department of the Treasury
4920DAL: EO Mandatory Review

1100 Commerce Street Employer Identification No.:
Dallas, Tx 75242 Person to Contact:
Employee ID Number:
Tel
Number: 200909063 Fax

Release Date: 2/27/2009

Form Required to be Filed:
Date: November 19, 2008 Tax Years:

UIL: 501.03-03

ORG Last Day to File a Petition with the
ADDRESS United States Tax Court:

LEGEND

ORG = Organization name XX = Date

Address = address

Certified Mail

Dear

This is a final adverse determination as to your exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). It is determined that you are no longer recognized as exempt from Federal income tax under IRC section 501(c)(3), effective July 1 20XX., for the following reason(s):

Internal Revenue Code § 501(a) provides that an organization organized and operated for a charitable purposes, listed under § 501(C) (3), is exempt from tax. To qualify for income tax exemption, under § 501(a) as a § 501(C) (3) an organization must establish that it operates exclusively for charitable purposes.

Treasury Regulation 1.6033-2(i) (2) provides that an organization which is exempt from tax, regardless whether it is required to file an annual information return, shall submit, as required by the Internal Revenue Service, any additional information for the purpose of inquiring into its exempt status. failed to establish that it was operated for an exempt purpose by failing to provide any documents when requested by the Revenue Agent.

Contributions to your organization are not deductible under IRC section 170.

You are required to file Federal income tax returns on the form indicated above. You should file these returns within 30 days from the date of this letter, unless a request for an extension of time is granted. File the returns in accordance with their instructions, and do not send them to this office. Processing of income tax returns and assessment of any taxes due will not be delayed because you have filed a petition for declaratory judgment under IRC section 7428.

If you decide to contest this determination under the declaratory judgment provisions of IRC section 7428, a petition to the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of Claims, or the

district court of the United States for the District of Columbia must be filed within 90 days from the date this determination letter was mailed to you. Contact the clerk of the appropriate court for rules for filing petitions for declaratory judgment. To secure a petition form from the United States Tax Court, write to the United States Tax Court.

You also have the right to contact the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate. However, you should first contact the person whose name and telephone number are shown above since this person can access your tax information and can help you get answers. You can call and ask for Taxpayer Advocate assistance or you can contact your nearest Advocate’s office, in this case by calling or writing to:

Taxpayer Advocate assistance cannot be used as a substitute for established IRS procedures, formal appeals processes, etc. The Taxpayer Advocate is not able to reverse legal or technically correct tax determinations, nor extend the time fixed by law that you have to file a petition in Court. The Taxpayer Advocate can, however, see that a tax matter that may not have been resolved through normal channels gets prompt and proper handling.

We will notify the appropriate State officials of this action, as required by IRC section 6104(c). You should contact your state officials if you have any questions about how this determination may affect your state responsibilities and requirements.

If you have any questions, please contact the person whose name and telephone number are shown in the heading of this letter.

Sincerely,

Vick L. Hansen
Acting Director, EO Examinations

Attachments:
Publication 892

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service

TAX EXEMPT AND
GOVERNMENT ENTITIES
DIVISION

May 28, 2008

Taxpayer Identification Number:

ORG
ADDRESS Form:

Tax Year(s) Ended:
Person to Contact/ID Number:

Contact Numbers:
Telephone:
Fax:

Certified Mail - Return Receipt Requested

Dear

We have enclosed a copy of our report of examination explaining why we believe revocation of your exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) is necessary.

If you accept our findings, take no further action. We will issue a final revocation letter.

If you do not agree with our proposed revocation, you must submit to us a written request for Appeals Office consideration within 30 days from the date of this letter to protest our decision. Your protest should include a statement of the facts, the applicable law, and arguments in support of your position.

An Appeals officer will review your case. The Appeals office is independent of the Director, EO Examinations. The Appeals Office resolves most disputes informally and promptly. The enclosed Publication 3498, The Examination Process, and Publication 892, Exempt Organizations Appeal Procedures for Unagreed Issues, explain how to appeal an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) decision. Publication 3498 also includes information on your rights as a taxpayer and the IRS collection process.

You may also request that we refer this matter for technical advice as explained in Publication 892. If we issue a determination letter to you based on technical advice, no further administrative appeal is available to you within the IRS regarding the issue that was the subject of the technical advice.

Letter 3618 (04-2002)
Catalog Number 34809F

2

If we do not hear from you within 30 days from the date of this letter, we will process your case based on the recommendations shown in the report of examination. If you do not protest this proposed determination within 30 days from the date of this letter, the IRS will consider it to be a failure to exhaust your available administrative remedies. Section 7428(b)(2) of the Code provides, in part: "A declaratory judgment or decree under this section shall not be issued in any proceeding unless the Tax Court, the Claims Court, or the District Court of the United States for the District of Columbia determines that the organization involved has exhausted its administrative remedies within the Internal Revenue Service." We will then issue a final revocation letter. We will also notify the appropriate state officials of the revocation in accordance with section 6104(c) of the Code.

You have the right to contact the office of the Taxpayer Advocate. Taxpayer Advocate assistance is not a substitute for established IRS procedures, such as the formal appeals process. The Taxpayer Advocate cannot reverse a legally correct tax determination, or extend the time fixed by law that you have to file a petition in a United States court. The Taxpayer Advocate can, however, see that a tax matter that may not have been resolved through normal channels gets prompt and proper handling. You may call toll-free 1-877-777-4778 and ask for Taxpayer Advocate Assistance. If you prefer, you may contact your local Taxpayer Advocate at:

If you have any questions, please call the contact person at the telephone number shown in the heading of this letter. If you write, please provide a telephone number and the most convenient time to call if we need to contact you.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Revenue Agent

Enclosures:
Publication 892
Publication 3498
Report of Examination

Letter 3618 (04-2002)
Catalog Number 34809F

Form 886-A Schedule number or exhibit
(Rev. January 1994) EXPLANATIONS OF ITEMS

Name of taxpayer Tax Identification Number Year/Period ended

ORG. 20XX06

LEGEND
ORG = Organization name Address = address XX = Date

Issue:

Whether ORG. qualifies for exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Facts:

ORG. filed F941 Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return for the 20XX12 and 20XX03 quarters. The total compensation paid for the two quarters was $ and $ respectively.

The last known address, as filed on F941 was ADDRESS. Letters sent to this address have not been returned but no response has been received. Additional research using internal and internet resources did not find any additional contact information.

ORG. failed to respond to the Internal Revenue Service correspondence or file the Form 990 for the tax period ending June 30, 20XX.

Law:

IRC § 6001 provides that every person liable for any tax imposed by the IRC, or for the collection thereof, shall keep adequate records as the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate may from time to time prescribe.

Treas. Reg. § 1.6001-1(a) in conjunction with Treas. Reg. § 1.6001-1(c) provides that every organization exempt from tax under IRC § 501(a) and subject to the tax imposed by IRC § 511 on its unrelated business income must keep such permanent books or accounts or records, including inventories, as are sufficient to establish the amount of gross income, deduction, credits, or other matters required to be shown by such person in any return of such tax. Such organization shall also keep such books and records as are required to substantiate the information required by IRC § 6033.

Treas. Reg. § 1.6001-1(e) states that the books or records required by this section shall be kept at all times available for inspection by authorized internal revenue officers or employees, and shall be retained as long as the contents thereof may be material in the administration of any internal revenue law.

IRC § 6033(a)(1) provides, except as provided in IRC § 6033(a)(2), every organization exempt from tax under section 501(a) shall file an annual return, stating specifically the items of gross income, receipts and disbursements, and such other information for the purposes of carrying out the internal revenue laws as the Secretary may by forms or

Form 886-A (1-1994) Catalog Number 20810W Page 1 publish.no.irs.gov Department of the Treasury-Internal Revenue Service

Form 886-A Schedule number or exhibit
(Rev. January 1994) EXPLANATIONS OF ITEMS

Name of taxpayer Tax Identification Number Year/Period ended

ORG. 20XX06

regulations prescribe, and keep such records, render under oath such statements, make such other returns, and comply with such rules and regulations as the Secretary may from time to time prescribe.

Treas. Reg § 1.6033-1(h)(2) provides that every organization which has established its right to exemption from tax, whether or not it is required to file an annual return of information, shall submit such additional information as may be required by the district director for the purpose of enabling him to inquire further into its exempt status and to administer the provisions of subchapter F (section 501 and the following), chapter 1 of the Code and IRC § 6033.

Rev. Rul. 59-95, 1959-1 C.B. 627, concerns an exempt organization that was requested to produce a financial statement and statement of its operations for a certain year. However, its records were so incomplete that the organization was unable to furnish such statements. The Service held that the failure or inability to file the required information return or otherwise to comply with the provisions of IRC § 6033 and the regulations which implement it, may result in the termination of the exempt status of an organization previously held exempt, on the grounds that the organization has not established that it is observing the conditions required for the continuation of exempt status.

In accordance with the above cited provisions of the Code and regulations under

IRC §§ 6001 and 6033, organizations recognized as exempt from federal income tax must meet certain reporting requirements. These requirements relate to the filing of a complete and accurate annual information (and other required federal tax forms) and the retention of records sufficient to determine whether such entity is operated for the purposes for which it was granted tax-exempt status and to determine its liability for any unrelated business income tax.

Organization’s Position
Due to the lack of response, the organization’s position is unknown.

Conclusion: It is the IRS's position that the organization failed to meet the reporting requirements under IRC §§ 6001 and 6033 to be recognized as exempt from federal income tax under IRC § 501(c)(3). Furthermore, the organization has failed to establish that it continues to qualify for tax exempt status. Accordingly, the organization's exempt status is revoked effective July 1, 20XX.

Form(s) 1120 U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return should be filed for the tax periods ending on or after July 1, 20XX.

Form 886-A (1-1994) Catalog Number 20810W Page 2 publish.no.irs.gov Department of the Treasury-Internal Revenue Service