Anonymous reporting: The form allows for anonymous reporting, which means you can choose not to disclose your identity when submitting the information. However, providing your contact information can be helpful to the IRS in case they need to follow up or request additional details.
Tax-exempt status means that an organization is exempt from paying federal corporate income tax on income generated from activities that are substantially related to the purposes for which the entity was organized (i.e., to the purposes for which the organization was granted tax-exempt status).
If your tax matters are being worked by an IRS examiner or collection officer, you may request the transfer of a developed but unagreed issue to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals (Appeals), while the IRS continues to develop other issues in the case. This is known as an early referral.
Filing a Complaint
A referral of an exempt organization may be made by submitting Form 13909, Tax- Exempt Organization Complaint (Referral) Form, downloadable from IRS.gov. Form 13909 and any supporting documentation may be submitted in a variety of ways.
Private inurement occurs when the nonprofit's income or assets are used to benefit insiders, often board members, officers, directors, or employees. Engaging in this type of activity will result in the nonprofit losing its 501(c)(3) status and being subject to penalty excise taxes.
The IRS will especially take notice if churches fail to correctly withhold and make payroll tax deposits, or fail to file Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return.
See our Held or Stopped Refund page or our video for more information. If the IRS is reviewing your return, the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days, depending on the number and types of issues the IRS is reviewing. Follow these steps if you know you made a mistake, before the IRS contacts you.
(We never share this information with the person or business you are reporting.) This information is not required to process your report, but would be helpful if we need to contact you for any additional information. Use Form 3949-A to report alleged tax law violations by an individual, a business, or both.
The first decision you'll need to make is who you should ask for a referral. This could mean asking someone you know, like an existing client, a former employer, or even a friend. You could also ask someone in your extended network who you don't know very well (or at all), like the hiring manager for a role.
Who Does Not Have to Pay Taxes? You generally don't have to pay taxes if your income is less than the standard deduction or the total of your itemized deductions, if you have a certain number of dependents, if you work abroad and are below the required thresholds, or if you're a qualifying non-profit organization.
501(c) is a subsection of the United States Internal Revenue Code (IRC) that confers tax-exempt status on nonprofit organizations. Specifically, it identifies which nonprofit organizations are exempt from paying federal income tax.
If you are single and have one job, or married and filing jointly then claiming one allowance makes the most sense. An individual can claim two allowances if they are single and have more than one job, or are married and are filing taxes separately.
Form 13909, and any supporting documentation, can be submitted in a variety of ways: Mail to IRS EO Classification, Mail Code 4910DAL, 1100 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75242-1198 Fax to 214-413-5415, or Email to eoclass@irs.gov. The IRS takes all complaints seriously and scrutinizes all referrals.
The IRS Whistleblower Office pays monetary awards to eligible individuals whose information is used by the IRS. The award percentage depends on several factors, but generally falls between 15 and 30 percent of the proceeds collected and attributable to the whistleblower's information.
When a taxpayer believes their personal information is being used to file fraudulent tax returns, they should consider filing a Form 14039 online or by completing the paper Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit PDF, which can then be printed and mailed or faxed to the IRS.
For the 2022 tax year, the gross income threshold for filing taxes varies depending on your age, filing status, and dependents. Generally, the threshold ranges between $12,550 and $28,500. If your income falls below these amounts, you may not be required to file a tax return.
The IRS receives copies of your W-2s and 1099s, and their systems automatically compare this data to the amounts you report on your tax return. A discrepancy, such as a 1099 that isn't reported on your return, could trigger further review. So, if you receive a 1099 that isn't yours, or isn't correct, don't ignore it.
Tax evasion is the illegal non-payment or under-payment of taxes, usually by deliberately making a false declaration or no declaration to tax authorities – such as by declaring less income, profits or gains than the amounts actually earned, or by overstating deductions. It entails criminal or civil legal penalties.
6 years - If you don't report income that you should have reported, and it's more than 25% of the gross income shown on the return, or it's attributable to foreign financial assets and is more than $5,000, the time to assess tax is 6 years from the date you filed the return.
The IRS has a limited window to collect unpaid taxes — which is generally 10 years from the date the tax debt was assessed. If the IRS cannot collect the full amount within this period, the remaining balance is forgiven. This is known as the "collection statute expiration date" (CSED).
If the IRS decides that your return merits a second glance, you'll be issued a CP05 Notice. This notice lets you know that your return is being reviewed to verify any or all of the following: Your income. Your tax withholding.
Automatic Exemption for Churches
Churches that meet the requirements of IRC Section 501(c)(3) are automatically considered tax exempt and are not required to apply for and obtain recognition of tax-exempt status from the IRS.
The IRS may begin a church tax inquiry only if an appropriate high-level Treasury official reasonably believes, based on a written statement of the facts and circumstances, that the organization: (a) may not qualify for the exemption; or (b) may not be paying tax on unrelated business or other taxable activity.
For contributions of cash, check, or other monetary gift (regardless of amount), you must maintain a record of the contribution: a bank record or a written communication from the qualified organization containing the name of the organization, the amount, and the date of the contribution.