Last updated 2026-07-24
TL;DR
Filing taxes for a nonprofit almost always means filing one of the Form 990 family: 990-N, 990-EZ, or 990, due the 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year ends. Skip it three years running and the IRS auto-revokes your tax-exempt status. Which form you owe depends on gross receipts and assets, and small booster clubs and PTOs usually land in 990-N territory.
what does a treasurer do (and why does filing fall on them)?
A treasurer keeps the group's money straight: tracking income and expenses, reconciling the bank account, reporting balances to the board, and making sure the organization meets its legal obligations. For a nonprofit, that last part includes filing taxes every year, even when no tax is owed. That's the part that surprises new volunteers. "Nonprofit" doesn't mean "no paperwork." It means the organization is exempt from paying federal income tax on money it raises for its mission, not exempt from telling the IRS it exists. The treasurer (sometimes with the board president co-signing) is usually the one who actually hits submit on the return. In a small booster club or PTO, the treasurer job is really three jobs squeezed into one volunteer: bookkeeper, internal auditor, and compliance officer. Nobody teaches this in a training manual when you take over mid-season. You just get handed a shoebox, a login, or nothing at all, and you figure it out. This article is the figuring-out part for the tax filing piece specifically.
what is a treasurer, exactly, in a volunteer organization?
A treasurer is the officer legally and organizationally responsible for an organization's money: cash, bank accounts, financial records, and required filings. In a booster club, PTO, or youth sports league, the treasurer is almost always an unpaid volunteer, usually a parent, elected or appointed for a season or a school year. The role isn't defined by the IRS. It's defined by your organization's bylaws and, if you're incorporated, your state's nonprofit corporation statute. Most state nonprofit corporation laws require at least the concept of a treasurer or equivalent officer who handles financial records, though exact requirements vary by state (confirm with your state's nonprofit corporation statute or attorney general's charities office). What a treasurer actually does day to day: collects dues and fundraising proceeds, pays vendors and reimbursements, keeps a check register or accounting software current, presents financial reports at meetings, and files the annual tax return. In smaller groups, the treasurer also handles bank signature cards, W-9s for contractors, and sometimes state charitable registration. It's a lot for a volunteer role, which is exactly why so many small nonprofits fall behind.
what do treasurers do differently in a club versus a bigger nonprofit?
What does a club treasurer do that's different from a treasurer at, say, a hospital foundation? Mostly it's scale, not substance. The legal duties are the same; the volume and formality are smaller. A booster club treasurer typically handles a checking account, maybe a savings account for a big trip fund, a handful of fundraisers (concessions, spirit wear, a raffle), and reimbursements to coaches or parent volunteers. Total annual revenue for most booster clubs and PTOs runs somewhere between a few thousand dollars and low six figures. That places nearly all of them squarely in Form 990-N or 990-EZ territory, not the full Form 990 that larger nonprofits file. What does a treasurer of a club do that a corporate nonprofit CFO doesn't? Usually everything personally: no accounting staff, no outsourced bookkeeper, no separate compliance department. The club treasurer writes the checks, reconciles the statement, and files the return, often on a laptop at the kitchen table in February. That's normal. It just means the filing has to be simple enough for a volunteer to actually do it correctly, which is the whole reason the IRS built the 990-N postcard filing in the first place.
what is form 990, and does my group actually have to file one?
Form 990 is the annual information return that most tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS. It reports income, expenses, program activities, and governance details, and it's public record once filed. "Most organizations exempt from income tax under section 501(a) must file an annual information return," the IRS states in its Form 990 filing thresholds guidance [1]. There isn't one single "990" form. It's a family: Form 990-N (the e-Postcard), Form 990-EZ, the full Form 990, and Form 990-PF for private foundations. Which one your group files depends on gross receipts and total assets, not on how big or small the group feels. A tiny club with $40,000 in the bank from years of bake sales files based on that $40,000, not on how few kids are in the program. A narrow set of organizations don't have to file at all, including churches and certain church-affiliated organizations, and some government-related entities [1]. Almost no booster club, PTO, or youth sports league qualifies for that exception. If you're not sure which bucket you're in, confirm with the IRS or a qualified preparer before assuming you're exempt from filing.
what is the 990 tax form used for, exactly?
The 990 tax form exists so the IRS, and the public, can see how a tax-exempt organization raises and spends money. It's not a bill. Most filers owe zero federal income tax on the activity it reports. It's an information return, and it's the price of keeping tax-exempt status. The form (in its EZ or full version) asks about total revenue by source, total expenses by category, compensation of officers and key employees, and whether the organization engaged in certain transactions like loans to insiders. Full Form 990 also asks governance questions: does the board review the return before filing, does the organization have a conflict-of-interest policy, that kind of thing. Because 990s are public, GuideStar/Candid and the IRS's own Tax Exempt Organization Search let anyone look up a nonprofit's recent filings. That transparency is the tradeoff for the tax exemption. A parent, a school district, or a state charity regulator can pull your club's 990 and see exactly what came in and went out.
which 990 do I file: 990-N, 990-EZ, or the full 990?
| Form 990-N (e-Postcard) | Organizations normally $50,000 or less in gross receipts | Normally ≤ $50,000 [2] | $0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 990-EZ | Gross receipts < $200,000 AND total assets < $500,000 | < $200,000 receipts, < $500,000 assets [3] | $0 | |
| Form 990 | Gross receipts ≥ $200,000 OR total assets ≥ $500,000 | ≥ $200,000 or ≥ $500,000 assets [3] | $0 | |
| Form 990-PF | Private foundations, regardless of size | Any amount | $0 | There's no fee to file any 990 variant directly with the IRS. If you use paid tax software or a preparer, that's where the cost comes from, not the IRS itself. One wrinkle worth knowing: even if your gross receipts qualify you for the 990-N, you can choose to file the 990-EZ or full 990 instead if you want a more detailed public record, or if a school district or state grantor requires it. Some booster clubs do this voluntarily because a district finance office wants to see a fuller financial picture, more than the postcard. |
This is the question that actually matters for filing taxes as a small nonprofit. The answer depends on two numbers: gross receipts and total assets. | Filing | Who files it | Gross receipts threshold | Filing fee |
what is the 990-N e-Postcard, and how do I actually file it?
The 990-N is an eight-question online form for small tax-exempt organizations, filed electronically through the IRS website, with no paper option. The IRS describes it plainly: organizations "whose gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less" may file the e-Postcard instead of Form 990 or 990-EZ [2]. What it asks for: your EIN, tax year, legal name and mailing address, any other names the organization uses, the name and address of a principal officer, your website if you have one, confirmation that gross receipts are $50,000 or less, and a statement if the organization has terminated or is going out of business. There's no financial detail required, no revenue and expense breakdown, nothing like a balance sheet. It takes most treasurers under fifteen minutes once they have the EIN and officer info handy. You file it through the IRS Form 990-N electronic filing system [2], not through commercial tax software, and not by mail.
when is the nonprofit tax filing deadline, and what if I file late?
The deadline for any 990 variant is the 15th day of the 5th month after the organization's accounting period ends. For a calendar-year filer (fiscal year ending December 31), that's May 15 of the following year [4]. For a fiscal year ending June 30, the deadline is November 15. A 6-month extension is available for Form 990, 990-EZ, and 990-PF by filing Form 8868 before the original due date [4]. Form 990-N has no extension option, but there's also no late-filing penalty for a single missed 990-N, only the risk that starts stacking after multiple years (more on that below). For 990-EZ and full 990, late filing can trigger penalties: generally $20 per day the return is late for smaller organizations, up to the lesser of $12,000 or 5% of gross receipts, with steeper daily penalties for larger organizations, per the instructions to Form 990 [5]. These numbers change periodically, so confirm current penalty amounts on the IRS Form 990 instructions before assuming a figure is current.
what happens if my nonprofit hasn't filed in years?
This is the scenario that brings most new booster club and PTO treasurers to this topic in the first place: you inherit the books and discover nobody has filed anything in three, four, sometimes six years. Here's the automatic rule: "Organizations that fail to file required returns for three consecutive years will automatically lose their tax-exempt status," the IRS states in its automatic revocation guidance [6]. There's no warning letter that says "last chance." The revocation happens by operation of law on the filing due date of the third consecutive missed year. You can check whether this already happened to your organization using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, which lists organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked [7]. If your group's name shows up there, you're not imagining the problem; the exemption is genuinely gone until you fix it. The fix is called reinstatement, filed using Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ (for eligible small organizations) with a request for retroactive reinstatement, following the procedures in Revenue Procedure 2014-11 [8]. Depending on how quickly you act after revocation and your organization's size, you may qualify for streamlined retroactive reinstatement rather than starting over from scratch. This is genuinely one of the more confusing corners of nonprofit compliance, and getting the retroactive reinstatement request right (including which prior-year 990s to attach) is worth getting a second set of eyes on, whether that's a CPA who works with small nonprofits or your state association's technical assistance line.
does filing a 990 mean my nonprofit owes federal income tax?
No. Filing a 990 is an information return, not an income tax return in the sense most people think of (like a personal Form 1040 with tax owed and a refund calculation). Most 501(c)(3) and other tax-exempt organizations owe zero federal income tax on revenue related to their exempt purpose. Tax can come into play in two situations. First, unrelated business income: if your nonprofit runs an activity unrelated to its exempt purpose regularly, on a for-profit basis (think a concession stand operation that's really a standalone business, or renting out equipment commercially), that income may be subject to unrelated business income tax reported on Form 990-T [9]. Second, if your group never actually applied for and received 501(c)(3) or other exempt status from the IRS, it may not be tax-exempt at all, and could owe regular income tax like any unincorporated association. Most booster club and PTO fundraising (concessions at your own team's games, car washes, spirit wear sales, raffles run under a state charitable gaming license) falls squarely inside the exempt purpose and doesn't trigger UBIT. But if you're running something that looks a lot like a regular retail or service business, ask a preparer whether Form 990-T applies to your situation.
does my state also require a nonprofit tax filing, separate from the IRS?
Often, yes, and this is the piece treasurers miss most. Filing the federal 990 doesn't automatically satisfy state requirements. Most states have their own charitable registration and annual reporting rules through the state attorney general's office or secretary of state, separate from IRS filing. Requirements vary widely: some states require annual financial reports for any organization soliciting donations above a small dollar threshold, others exempt small organizations below a revenue cutoff, and a few require registration before you even start fundraising. Because these thresholds and forms are state-specific and change, confirm current requirements with your state's charity registration office or attorney general's charities division rather than assuming your state matches a neighbor's rules. Separately, if your group runs a raffle, bingo night, or similar game of chance as a fundraiser, most states require a distinct charitable gaming or raffle license, on top of both the IRS filing and any charity registration. That's a different application, different office, and different deadline than your 990. Don't assume one filing covers all three layers (federal, state charity registration, state gaming license); treat them as three separate checklists.
what records does a treasurer need before filing taxes for a nonprofit?
Before you sit down to file any version of the 990, gather these: your EIN (not your school district's, your own organization's), the prior year's filed return if one exists, a full year's bank statements, a check register or ledger showing income and expenses by category, and the names and addresses of current officers. For 990-EZ or full 990, you'll also need a breakdown of revenue by source (dues, fundraising, grants, program fees) and expenses by category (program costs, administrative, fundraising costs), plus any compensation paid to officers or key volunteers over $ thresholds set in the form instructions. If your group holds any investments or a reserve fund, you'll need year-end statements for those too. If you're the new treasurer and the prior person left no records, don't panic and don't guess. Reconstruct what you can from bank statements (12 months of deposits and withdrawals gets you most of the way to a rough revenue and expense picture), note clearly in your own records that prior years' books were incomplete, and file going forward accurately. A gap in historical detail is a much smaller problem than an inaccurate current filing.
what does a treasurer do to keep this from happening again next year?
The single best thing a treasurer can do is put the filing deadline on a calendar that survives officer turnover, more than in your own head or inbox. Booster clubs and PTOs lose continuity every one to three years as parents rotate off the board; the filing knowledge needs to live in the organization's documents, more than in one person's memory. Practically: keep a simple year-end folder (digital or paper) with the EIN, prior filings, a bank reconciliation, and a one-page revenue/expense summary, and hand that folder to your successor along with bank access. Set a recurring reminder for the 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year ends, and file the 990-N (or EZ, or full 990) even in a slow year with a couple hundred dollars of activity. The postcard filing costs you nothing and fifteen minutes; the automatic revocation after three missed years costs you a reinstatement filing, possibly a fee, and months of limbo where your donations technically aren't tax-deductible for donors. This is genuinely the piece we built the $99 State-Personalized Treasurer Kit around: a one-time reference built around your specific state and organization type so the next volunteer treasurer doesn't have to reconstruct all of this from scratch. It's not a substitute for a CPA or your state's guidance, but it's the handoff document most clubs never had.
who actually has to sign and submit the nonprofit's tax return?
An officer of the organization needs to sign the return (for 990-EZ and full 990; the 990-N e-Postcard doesn't require a signature, just electronic submission by an authorized person). Typically that's the treasurer, though some organizations have the president or board chair review and co-sign before submission as an internal control. Whoever submits the 990-N needs to be listed as, or authorized by, a principal officer of the organization, since the form asks for that person's name and address directly. If your club's bylaws specify who counts as a principal officer (president, treasurer, executive director), stick to that list rather than letting whoever happens to have the login file it. One practical safeguard for financial controls: have a second board member (not the treasurer) glance at the numbers before filing, especially for 990-EZ and full 990 where actual revenue and expense figures get reported and become public record. A second set of eyes catches transposition errors and mismatched bank balances before they're permanent public documents on GuideStar.
Frequently asked questions
What does a treasurer do in a nonprofit or club?
A treasurer manages the organization's money: bank accounts, income and expenses, financial reports to the board, and required tax filings like the annual 990. In small booster clubs and PTOs, the treasurer is usually a volunteer parent handling all of this personally, without paid accounting staff.
What is a treasurer, in simple terms?
A treasurer is the officer responsible for an organization's finances: collecting money, paying bills, keeping records straight, and reporting to the board and, for nonprofits, to the IRS through required annual filings like Form 990-N or 990-EZ.
What is Form 990?
Form 990 is the annual information return most tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS to report income, expenses, and governance details. It comes in several versions (990-N, 990-EZ, full 990, 990-PF) depending on the organization's size, per IRS filing thresholds guidance.
What is a 990 tax form used for?
The 990 tax form lets the IRS and the public see how a tax-exempt organization raises and spends money. It's not a tax bill; most filers owe no federal income tax. It's the annual reporting requirement that keeps an organization's tax-exempt status current.
What is the 990-N e-Postcard?
The 990-N is an eight-question online filing for tax-exempt organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less. It's filed electronically through the IRS website only, takes most treasurers under fifteen minutes, and has no paper filing option or fee.
Do all nonprofits have to file a tax return every year?
Almost all tax-exempt organizations must file some version of Form 990 annually, even with zero revenue in a given year. Narrow exceptions exist for churches and certain government-related entities. Confirm your organization's specific status with the IRS if you're unsure.
What happens if a nonprofit doesn't file taxes for three years?
The IRS automatically revokes tax-exempt status for organizations that fail to file required returns for three consecutive years, per IRS guidance on automatic revocation. There's no separate warning notice; it happens by operation of law on the third missed filing deadline.
How do I check if my nonprofit's tax-exempt status was revoked?
Search your organization's name or EIN on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool, which lists organizations with automatically revoked exemptions. If your group appears there, you'll need to file for reinstatement, potentially retroactively, using Form 1023 or 1023-EZ.
Does a booster club or PTO owe federal income tax?
Usually not, on activity related to its exempt purpose. Filing a 990 reports income and expenses but doesn't create a tax bill for most organizations. Tax can apply to unrelated business income (Form 990-T) if a group runs an unrelated for-profit-style activity.
What does a club treasurer do differently from a corporate nonprofit treasurer?
The legal duties are the same, but a club treasurer handles everything personally: bookkeeping, reconciliation, and filing, without accounting staff. Booster clubs and PTOs typically have small enough revenue to file the simpler 990-N or 990-EZ rather than the full Form 990.
When is the deadline for filing a nonprofit's 990?
The 15th day of the 5th month after the organization's fiscal year ends. For calendar-year filers, that's May 15. A 6-month extension is available for 990-EZ and full 990 via Form 8868, but not for the 990-N e-Postcard.
Do I need a state filing in addition to the federal 990?
Often, yes. Many states require separate charitable registration or annual reports through the attorney general's office, and raffles or gaming fundraisers typically need a separate state gaming license. Requirements vary by state, so confirm with your state's charity registration office.
Is there a fee to file Form 990-N, 990-EZ, or Form 990?
No, the IRS charges no fee to file any version of the 990 directly. Any cost you incur comes from paid tax software or a preparer, not from the IRS itself.
Who has to sign a nonprofit's tax return?
An officer, usually the treasurer, signs Form 990-EZ and full Form 990. The 990-N e-Postcard requires no signature, just electronic submission by an authorized principal officer. Many boards also have a second officer review the numbers before submission as a control.
Sources
- IRS, Annual Exempt Organization Return: Who Must File: most organizations exempt under 501(a) must file an annual information return, with narrow exceptions like churches
- IRS, Annual Electronic Filing Requirement for Small Exempt Organizations (Form 990-N e-Postcard): organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less may file Form 990-N
- IRS, Form 990 Series Which Forms Do Exempt Organizations File: 990-EZ and full Form 990 thresholds based on gross receipts and total assets
- IRS, Form 8868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File: 990-series returns are due the 15th day of the 5th month after year end, with a 6-month extension available via Form 8868
- IRS, Instructions for Form 990: late filing penalties for Form 990 and 990-EZ, generally $20/day up to the lesser of $12,000 or 5% of gross receipts for smaller organizations
- IRS, Automatic Revocation of Exemption: organizations that fail to file for three consecutive years automatically lose tax-exempt status
- IRS, Tax Exempt Organization Search: tool lists organizations with automatically revoked exempt status
- IRS, Revenue Procedure 2014-11: procedures for streamlined and retroactive reinstatement of tax-exempt status after automatic revocation
- IRS, Unrelated Business Income Tax: unrelated business income of exempt organizations may be subject to tax, reported on Form 990-T