How to file 990: a treasurer's guide to the IRS form

Last updated 2026-07-24

what is form 990?

Form 990 is the annual information return the IRS requires from most tax-exempt organizations, including 501(c)(3) charities, booster clubs, and PTOs. It is not an income tax return in the way a business 1040 or 1120 is. It is a disclosure form. The IRS uses it to confirm your group is still doing what it said it would do when it got tax-exempt status, and the public can use it to see how you spend money ^[1]. There are four versions, and which one you file depends almost entirely on your organization's gross receipts and total assets for the year. Smaller groups file a short electronic form called the 990-N. Mid-size groups file the 990-EZ. Larger groups file the full Form 990. Private foundations file a 990-PF, which almost no booster club or PTO will ever touch. Here's the thing that trips up new treasurers: 'gross receipts' means total money that came in, not money left after expenses. A booster club that brought in $60,000 from concessions, a raffle, and spirit wear sales, but spent $58,000 on uniforms and travel, still has $60,000 in gross receipts. That number decides your form, not your bank balance on December 31.

what is a 990 tax form used for?

A 990 tax form tells the IRS and the public four basic things: how much money your organization took in, how it spent that money, who runs it, and whether it is still operating within the purpose that earned it tax-exempt status in the first place ^[1]. For a booster club or PTO, that usually means reporting fundraiser income, concession stand revenue, membership dues, program spending on equipment or scholarships, and who sits on the board. The IRS also uses the 990 series to catch organizations that have gone dark. If a group stops filing for three consecutive years, the law treats that as evidence the organization is no longer active, and its exempt status is automatically revoked with no separate notice or hearing required ^[2]. That single mechanic is why so many small booster clubs end up on the IRS revocation list without ever getting a warning letter that feels urgent enough to open.

what is the 990 filing threshold and which version do I file?

Normally $50,000 or less	any	990-N (e-Postcard)
Less than $200,000	Less than $500,000	990-EZ or full 990
$200,000 or more	any	Full Form 990
any (private foundations)	any	990-PF	A few practical notes. If your gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less, you can file the 990-N, but you're also allowed to file the longer 990-EZ or full 990 instead if you want more detail on public record, though almost no small booster club chooses to do that voluntarily. 'Normally' is an IRS term of art that averages your receipts over a rolling period (generally three years for new organizations), so a single unusually good fundraising year doesn't automatically bump you into a higher form the very next year. If you're unsure which bucket you land in, confirm with the IRS and, if your state also requires a charity filing, with your state charity office as well [4].

Your gross receipts and total assets determine which 990 variant applies to your organization for that tax year. These thresholds come straight from the IRS annual filing requirements page ^[3] and are worth checking every year, since the IRS has adjusted them over time. | Gross receipts | Total assets | Form required |

what does a treasurer do?

A treasurer manages an organization's money and makes sure the group stays honest with itself and with the IRS about where that money went. For a booster club, PTO, or youth sports league, that job usually breaks down into four ongoing responsibilities: tracking income and expenses, reconciling the bank account, reporting finances to the board and members, and keeping the group's tax filings current. In practice, a lot of the job is unglamorous. It's saving receipts from the concession stand. It's reconciling PayPal or Venmo transfers against a spreadsheet. It's remembering that the 990-N is due every year, more than in years the club feels flush. Treasurers who skip that last part are the ones who discover, two years into the job, that the club's tax-exempt status quietly disappeared while nobody was watching.

what is a treasurer?

A treasurer is the officer of a club, nonprofit, or association responsible for its financial records and reporting. Unlike a president or secretary, a treasurer's role is defined almost entirely by money: what came in, what went out, what's left, and whether the numbers add up to what the bylaws and the IRS expect to see. In a volunteer organization, the treasurer is often the only person who touches every dollar. That concentration of access is exactly why financial controls matter so much for small nonprofits (see our financial controls guidance for handoff checklists). A treasurer isn't required to be an accountant. Most aren't. But the role does require someone willing to keep records boring enough that an outside board member or successor could pick them up and understand them cold.

what do treasurers do day to day, month to month, and year to year?

Day to day, a treasurer deposits cash from fundraisers, pays invoices, and keeps receipts. Month to month, a treasurer reconciles the bank statement against the books and reports a balance to the board. Year to year, a treasurer closes the books for the fiscal year, prepares (or hands off to a preparer) the annual budget, and files whatever version of Form 990 the organization's gross receipts require. A rough monthly checklist most booster club treasurers end up building for themselves looks like this: reconcile bank and PayPal/Venmo accounts, log every fundraiser's income and expenses separately, file receipts (digital photos count), and update the board on cash position. At year end, that folds into one bigger task: pulling twelve months of numbers together to answer the single question the 990-N or 990-EZ actually asks, which is 'how much came in and how much went out.'

what does a club treasurer do differently from a corporate treasurer?

A club treasurer, PTO treasurer, or booster club treasurer does the same core job as any treasurer, tracking money in and money out, but usually with far less infrastructure. No accounting department. No dedicated software budget. Often no formal training at all, just a spreadsheet inherited from last year's volunteer and a shoebox of receipts. What makes the club version distinct is the accountability layer. A club treasurer answers to a volunteer board, to parents or members who expect transparency, and to the IRS via the 990 series, all at once, usually while also working a full-time job unrelated to finance. That's a harder version of the job than it sounds, not because the transactions are complicated, but because there's rarely a second set of eyes checking the work in real time. Good handoff documentation and basic dual-control habits close most of that gap; see treasurer basics for what a first-year treasurer needs to build.

what does a treasurer of a club do when there's no staff to help?

When there's no paid staff, a club treasurer takes on tasks a corporate treasurer would delegate: physically depositing cash, reconciling receipts from a bake sale, filing the 990-N themselves through the IRS's online e-Postcard system, and keeping paper or digital backups because there's no IT department to do it for them. This is also where things go wrong most often, not through dishonesty but through simple gaps: the outgoing treasurer moves, the login credentials for the IRS e-Postcard system are lost, and nobody realizes a filing was missed until a bank asks for proof of tax-exempt status. The fix isn't complicated. It's a written handoff packet: EIN, login info, prior 990 copies, bank account details, and a filing calendar, passed from one volunteer to the next every single year, regardless of how well the outgoing treasurer trusts the incoming one.

how do I actually file the 990-N, 990-EZ, or full 990?

The 990-N (e-Postcard) is filed entirely online through the IRS's e-Postcard system, not through the general IRS e-file portal for tax returns. You'll need your organization's EIN, tax year, legal name and address, and confirmation your gross receipts are $50,000 or less ^[5]. There's no paper option and no fee to file it, but you do need an active IRS-issued login (the IRS moved 990-N filers to sign in through Login.gov or ID.me in recent years, so if you inherited an old account, expect to have to re-register). The 990-EZ and full Form 990 are longer, cover more detail (compensation, program service accomplishments, balance sheets), and generally require electronic filing through an IRS-authorized e-file provider ^[6]. Most small booster clubs at the 990-EZ level use a low-cost online 990 preparer rather than a full accounting firm, but if your organization has any complexity (paid staff, significant investments, related organizations), talking to an actual accountant is worth the cost. None of this article is tax or legal advice, and specifics change; always confirm current filing mechanics with the IRS ^[1] before your deadline.

when is the 990 due, and what happens if I file late or miss it entirely?

Form 990, in any version, is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after your organization's fiscal year ends. For a calendar-year organization (fiscal year ending December 31), that's May 15 . A single 3-month extension is available using Form 8868, but it's an extension of time to file, not to pay anything owed (most booster clubs and PTOs owe nothing, since the 990 series is an information return, not a tax bill for typical exempt activities). Miss one year, and generally nothing dramatic happens beyond a possible late notice. Miss three consecutive years, and the law is unambiguous: your tax-exempt status is automatically revoked, effective the filing due date of the third year, with no separate IRS notice required before it happens ^[2]. The IRS publishes a public list of automatically revoked organizations, and reinstatement requires filing Form 1023 or 1023-EZ again (essentially reapplying for exempt status) along with the delinquent 990s . This is the scenario that catches the most volunteer-run booster clubs and PTOs completely off guard, because the revocation happens quietly and the group often doesn't find out until a bank, a school district, or a grant application asks for proof of exempt status.

what if my club already lost its tax-exempt status?

If your organization appears on the IRS Auto-Revocation List, you'll need to apply for reinstatement, generally by filing Form 1023 or the shorter Form 1023-EZ (if you qualify based on size), along with any delinquent 990s the IRS asks for . The IRS offers streamlined retroactive reinstatement for organizations that missed the deadline for their first required filing, and a slightly different process (Rev. Proc. 2014-11) for smaller organizations applying within 15 months of revocation, so the exact path depends on your history . This is genuinely one of the more frustrating parts of running a small nonprofit, because the process can take real money (application fees run from roughly $275 for Form 1023-EZ up to $600 for the full Form 1023, per current IRS fee schedules ) and real time, sometimes several months. There's no guarantee of a specific outcome or timeline, and every organization's facts differ, so confirm current requirements and fees directly with the IRS before you start. If your state also requires separate charity registration, check with your state charity office or attorney general's office too, since state and federal exempt status are not the same thing and losing one doesn't automatically restore or revoke the other ^[4].

does a booster club or PTO have to file a 990 even with almost no money?

Yes. There's no minimum revenue exemption from filing something. An organization with literally $0 in gross receipts for the year still owes a 990-N if it holds federal tax-exempt status, unless it falls into one of the narrow categories the IRS exempts from annual filing entirely (certain church-related organizations, for instance) ^[3]. 'We didn't do any fundraisers this year' is not a reason to skip the filing; it just means you'll likely file the shortest version, the 990-N. This surprises a lot of new PTO and booster treasurers, especially ones who took over a group that went quiet during a slow year or a coaching change. The filing obligation doesn't pause just because activity did. If your group has gone a year or two without filing, don't wait for a notice. Check your status on the IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search tool and file whatever's outstanding as soon as you can.

what's the practical difference between the 990-N, 990-EZ, and full 990 to a treasurer?

The 990-N takes maybe ten minutes online, asks eight basic questions, and is not made public in a detailed form (there's no financial breakdown to publish, since none is collected). The 990-EZ and full 990 ask for actual financial statements, program descriptions, board member lists, and (for the full 990) compensation disclosures, and all of that becomes public record, typically viewable through the IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search or sites like ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. For most booster clubs and PTOs staying under the $50,000 gross receipts threshold, the 990-N is genuinely simple enough to do yourself with no preparer. Once a group crosses into 990-EZ territory, usually after a big fundraising year, a capital campaign, or a jump in membership dues, it's worth budgeting for either a low-cost online preparer or a local accountant, especially your first year filing the longer form. Getting it wrong doesn't usually trigger an audit by itself, but it does create a public record with your organization's name on it that's worth getting right the first time. A well-organized 990-N filing routine, done every year without fail, is genuinely the cheapest insurance a volunteer treasurer can buy against ever dealing with auto-revocation. If you're setting up systems from scratch, our $99 one-time State-Personalized Treasurer Kit builds out the filing calendar, handoff checklist, and record-keeping templates matched to your state's specific requirements, so this isn't something you have to reinvent solo.

where do state rules fit into all this?

Form 990 is a federal filing to the IRS. Separately, many states require their own annual charity registration or renewal, often tied to your state's attorney general or secretary of state charity office, and that filing is independent of your federal 990 ^[4]. A club can be perfectly current with the IRS and still be delinquent with the state, or vice versa, and the two agencies don't automatically share that information with each other in a way you can rely on. If your booster club or PTO also runs raffles, check your state's specific raffle licensing rules separately (see our raffles-by-state guidance if applicable), since raffle income often has its own reporting requirements on top of the standard 990 income reporting. Rules vary widely by state and change periodically, so this is a genuine 'confirm with your state charity office' situation rather than something with one universal answer.

Frequently asked questions

What is Form 990 in simple terms?

Form 990 is the annual report a tax-exempt organization files with the IRS showing money in, money out, and who runs the group. It replaces a regular income tax return, since exempt organizations generally don't pay federal income tax, but they still have to disclose their finances every year ^[1].

What is the 990-N e-Postcard?

The 990-N is the shortest version of Form 990, for organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less. It's filed entirely online in a few minutes, asks eight basic questions, and has no financial statement attached ^[3][5].

What does a treasurer do in a club or PTO?

A treasurer tracks all money coming in and going out, reconciles the bank account monthly, reports finances to the board, and makes sure required tax filings like the 990-N or 990-EZ get filed on time every year. In a small club, the treasurer is often the only person who sees every transaction.

What is a 990 tax form used for exactly?

It tells the IRS and the public how much money an exempt organization brought in, how it spent that money, and whether the group is still operating consistent with its exempt purpose. It's public information, so donors, parents, and school districts can look up a group's filings directly.

What happens if a booster club doesn't file Form 990 for three years?

The organization's tax-exempt status is automatically revoked by law, effective the filing deadline of the third missed year, with no separate warning notice from the IRS required first ^[2]. Reinstatement requires reapplying for exempt status and filing the delinquent returns ^[8].

Does a small booster club with almost no income still have to file?

Yes. There's no minimum revenue below which filing isn't required. A club with $0 in gross receipts still owes a 990-N (or another version, depending on assets) every year it holds tax-exempt status, unless it falls under a narrow exception like certain religious organizations ^[3].

How do I know which version of the 990 my organization needs to file?

Check your gross receipts and total assets for the year against IRS thresholds: normally $50,000 or less in gross receipts means 990-N; under $200,000 in receipts and under $500,000 in assets generally allows 990-EZ; above that, the full Form 990 applies ^[3]. Confirm your specific number with the IRS if you're near a threshold.

When is Form 990 due each year?

The 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year ends. For a calendar-year organization, that's May 15 ^[7]. A 3-month extension is available via Form 8868, but it extends the filing deadline only, not any payment (990s typically involve no tax payment for standard exempt activity anyway).

Can I file Form 990 myself without an accountant?

For the 990-N, yes, it's designed for a volunteer to file directly online in minutes. For the 990-EZ or full 990, many small treasurers use a low-cost online preparer service; organizations with more complexity (paid staff, investments, related entities) generally benefit from an actual accountant's review.

What's the difference between Form 990 and Form 990-EZ?

Form 990-EZ is a shorter version available to organizations with gross receipts under $200,000 and total assets under $500,000. It covers less detail than the full Form 990 but more than the 990-N, including a basic financial statement, board list, and program summary ^[3].

How do I fix an auto-revoked nonprofit's status?

File Form 1023 or the shorter Form 1023-EZ (if eligible based on size) to reapply for exempt status, along with any delinquent 990s the IRS requests. Streamlined retroactive reinstatement is available in some cases; current application fees run roughly $275 to $600 depending on the form ^[8][9][10].

Is Form 990 the same as a state charity registration?

No. Form 990 is a federal IRS filing. Many states separately require charity registration or annual renewal through the attorney general or secretary of state's office, and that filing is independent of your federal status. You can owe both, one, or neither depending on your state ^[4].

What does a club treasurer do that's different from other officers?

Unlike a president or secretary, a treasurer's job centers entirely on money: recording income and expenses, reconciling bank statements, reporting cash position to the board, and keeping the group's tax and financial filings current, including whichever version of Form 990 applies.

Sources

1. IRS, Annual Exempt Organization Return: Who Must File: Form 990 is the annual information return required of most tax-exempt organizations
2. IRS, Automatic Revocation of Exemption: Organizations that fail to file for three consecutive years automatically lose tax-exempt status with no separate notice required
3. IRS, Annual Filing and Forms: Gross receipts and total assets thresholds determine whether an organization files 990-N, 990-EZ, or full Form 990
4. IRS, e-Postcard (Form 990-N): Form 990-N is filed entirely online and requires EIN, tax year, and gross receipts confirmation of $50,000 or less
5. IRS, Form 990 Instructions: Form 990 is due the 15th day of the 5th month after the organization's fiscal year ends
6. IRS, Rev. Proc. 2014-11: Rev. Proc. 2014-11 provides streamlined retroactive reinstatement procedures for smaller organizations applying within 15 months of revocation