Last updated 2026-07-25
TL;DR
Which 990 you file depends on your group's gross receipts and assets. Under $50,000 in gross receipts, you e-file the free Form 990-N. Above that, you file Form 990-EZ or Form 990, both due the 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year ends. Miss three years in a row and the IRS auto-revokes your tax-exempt status.
what is form 990 and who has to file it
Form 990 is the annual information return that most tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS. It is not a tax bill in the way a personal 1040 is. It is a report card: how much money came in, where it went, who runs the group, and whether the organization is still doing what it told the IRS it would do when it applied for exemption. The IRS puts it plainly: "Tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and section 527 political organizations file Form 990 to provide the IRS with the information required by section 6033" [1]. If your booster club, PTO, or youth sports league got a federal EIN and applied for 501(c)(3) status (or operates as a chapter under a group exemption), you almost certainly have a 990 filing obligation every single year, even in a year with zero activity. There's no dollar threshold that lets you skip filing entirely. There's a threshold that determines which version of the form you file. That's the part most new treasurers get wrong, and it's the part that causes the auto-revocation letters two or three years later. For background on the family of related forms, see form 990 and the plain-English breakdown at 990 tax form.
what does a treasurer do (and why is the 990 their job)
A treasurer is the officer responsible for the money: tracking income and expenses, keeping bank records straight, reporting the group's finances to the board and members, and making sure required filings go in on time. In a volunteer group, the treasurer usually is the accounting department, the bookkeeper, and the compliance officer all at once. What does a treasurer do in a club, concretely? Reconcile the bank statement every month. Keep receipts and a simple ledger. Report a budget-to-actual summary at meetings. Renew the state charitable registration if one applies. And file the annual 990, in whatever version fits the group's size. What does a club treasurer do that a general board member doesn't? The treasurer signs (or is named on) the 990. That's a real signature under penalty of perjury on Form 990 and 990-EZ, so the treasurer needs to actually understand the numbers being reported, more than rubber-stamp whatever the outgoing treasurer left behind. If you just inherited the binder (or the shoebox) and none of this sounds familiar, that's normal. Most volunteer treasurers learn the 990 requirement the hard way, usually from a scary IRS letter.
which 990 do i actually file: 990-N, 990-EZ, or full 990
| Gross receipts normally ≤ $50,000 | Form 990-N (e-Postcard) | Free | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross receipts < $200,000 AND total assets < $500,000 | Form 990-EZ (or full 990) | Free to file, may cost for prep help | |
| Gross receipts ≥ $200,000 OR total assets ≥ $500,000 | Form 990 (full form) | Free to file, may cost for prep help | |
| Private foundations (any size) | Form 990-PF | Free to file | "Normally" matters here. The IRS averages gross receipts over the current year and the two years before it if your group is under three years old or your income swings a lot year to year [2]. A booster club that ran a huge one-time fundraiser doesn't automatically jump to the 990-EZ bracket if its typical years are much smaller. Read the averaging rule in the instructions before you assume you're stuck filing the bigger form. See 990-N and form 990-N for the e-Postcard specifically, since it's what most small booster clubs and PTOs actually use. |
This is the single most common point of confusion, and it's an easy one to fix with your gross receipts number. The IRS sets it out by receipts and assets [2]: | Your situation | Which form | Filing cost |
what is the 990-N (e-Postcard) and how do you file it
The 990-N is the short form for small organizations, officially the "Annual Electronic Notice" required under Internal Revenue Code section 6033(i) [3]. If your group's gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less, this is almost certainly what you file. You file it online, not on paper, through the IRS's Form 990-N electronic filing system [4]. There is no PDF to mail. You'll need your EIN, the legal name and mailing address of the organization, the name and address of a principal officer, your tax year, and confirmation that gross receipts are still $50,000 or under. The form itself takes maybe ten minutes once you have the information gathered. The hard part is usually not the form, it's finding the login credentials from whoever filed it last year, or realizing nobody ever registered the organization in the system at all. If that's you, the IRS instructions walk through creating a new account [4]. There's no extension available for the 990-N and no penalty for filing it late in a single year, but miss it three years running and the consequence is severe (see the auto-revocation section below).
what is form 990-EZ and when do you need it instead
Form 990-EZ is the mid-size return: four pages, still far shorter than the full Form 990, but it asks for real detail on revenue, expenses, net assets, and compensation of officers and directors. You use it if gross receipts are under $200,000 and total assets are under $500,000 [2], and you're not required (or don't want) to file the full 990 instead. The 990-EZ instructions require you to list your program service accomplishments, describe changes to organizing documents, and report on any excess benefit transactions with insiders [5]. A booster club running concessions, a spring auction, and a couple of car washes usually lands here once it's grown past e-Postcard size. One detail that trips people up: you can always choose to file the full Form 990 even if you qualify for the EZ or the N. Some accountants recommend it if your group wants a cleaner public record for grant applications, since foundations and corporate sponsors sometimes pull your 990 from GuideStar or the IRS's own database before writing a check.
what is form 990 (the full version) and who is required to file it
The full Form 990 is 12 pages plus schedules, and it's required once your organization's gross receipts hit $200,000 or total assets reach $500,000 [2]. It asks for a governance summary (does your board review the 990 before filing, do you have a conflict of interest policy, a whistleblower policy, a document retention policy), a full statement of functional expenses broken out by program vs. management vs. fundraising, and compensation detail for officers, directors, and key employees over set thresholds. Most booster clubs and PTOs never reach this size. If yours does, because you're running a large district-wide sports program or a big PTO with a paid part-time bookkeeper, budget for a CPA. The full 990 with schedules is not a form most volunteer treasurers should attempt solo, and an accountant who does nonprofit work regularly usually charges somewhere in the low-to-mid four figures for prep, though that range varies a lot by region and organization complexity; get a quote in writing before you commit.
when is the 990 due and can you get an extension
Your 990, in any version, is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after the end of your organization's accounting period [6]. For a group on a calendar year (most PTOs and booster clubs), that's May 15. For a group on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year (common for school-affiliated groups), that's November 15. You can request an automatic 6-month extension by filing Form 8868 before the original deadline [7]. The IRS instructions describe it as a single automatic extension: "An organization will only be allowed an extension of 6 months for a return for a tax year" [7]. There's no need to explain why you need more time; the extension is automatic once the form is filed correctly and on time. Note that the 990-N doesn't have an extension option in the same sense, since it's not really a "return" that gets processed the way 990-EZ or 990 are. If you're going to miss the e-Postcard deadline, just file it as soon as you can afterward. There's no separate late penalty for a single missed year on the 990-N, but repeated misses are what triggers automatic revocation.
what happens if you file a 990 late or don't file at all
For Form 990 or 990-EZ, the IRS can assess a penalty of $20 a day for each day the return is late, capped at the lesser of $12,000 or 5% of the organization's gross receipts for the year, for smaller organizations; larger organizations (gross receipts over $1,129,000) face a steeper daily penalty and a $60,000 cap, current as of recent IRS penalty guidance, so confirm the exact current figures with the IRS before assuming these numbers still apply to your filing year . The 990-N itself carries no late-filing penalty for a single year. That's the good news. The bad news is what happens after three years in a row. Under Internal Revenue Code section 6033(j), added by the Pension Protection Act of 2006, "any organization that fails to file an annual return or notice required under [section 6033] for 3 consecutive years shall have its tax-exempt status revoked" . This is automatic. There's no warning letter that says "last chance." The revocation date is the original due date of the third missed return, and the IRS publishes the revoked group on its Tax Exempt Organization Search tool .
what happens if your tax-exempt status gets auto-revoked
If your group's status has been auto-revoked, it means you missed three consecutive years of 990 filings (in any combination of 990-N, 990-EZ, or 990). The organization is no longer tax-exempt, donations made after the revocation date are not tax-deductible to donors, and depending on your state, your state charitable registration or sales tax exemption can be affected too. The fix is filing for reinstatement, more than catching up on the missed returns. The IRS describes several reinstatement paths in Revenue Procedure 2014-11, including streamlined retroactive reinstatement for organizations that were eligible to file the 990-N or 990-EZ and apply within 15 months of the revocation notice or the date it was posted on the Exempt Organizations Select Check tool . You'll file (or refile) Form 1023 or 1023-EZ for reinstatement along with the required user fee, currently listed on the IRS's exempt organization user fee page , and confirm the current fee before you file since these change. This is exactly the situation where getting outside help earns its keep. If your board discovers a lapse going back two or three years, don't guess. Call the IRS Exempt Organizations customer account services line, or better yet, get a CPA who handles nonprofit reinstatements to look at the specific facts, since the right path depends on how many years lapsed and which form you were eligible for each year.
what records do you need before you sit down to file
Before you open the 990-N system or start a 990-EZ, gather these: - Your EIN (not your school's EIN, not a board member's Social Security number)
- Legal organization name exactly as registered with the IRS
- Beginning and ending dates of your accounting period
- Total gross receipts for the year (all money that came in, before subtracting expenses)
- Total assets at year end, if you're above 990-N size
- Name and address of a current principal officer
- Your state charitable registration number, if your state requires one (confirm with your state charity office / attorney general, since this varies by state) If you don't have last year's ledger, rebuild gross receipts from twelve months of bank statements: every deposit, added up, is a reasonable starting estimate for gross receipts even if it's not perfectly categorized. That's usually good enough to determine which 990 version you need, even before your books are fully clean. This is the exact situation a lot of incoming treasurers land in: a shoebox of receipts, a bank login that barely works, and a filing deadline six weeks out. A State-Personalized Treasurer Kit ($99 one-time) builds the year-one folder structure, deadline calendar, and reconciliation templates for your specific state so you're not reconstructing this from scratch.
does a small booster club or pto still need to file every year
Yes. There is no minimum income exemption that lets a 501(c)(3) skip the annual 990 filing altogether. Even a booster club with $400 in gross receipts for the year files a 990-N. Even a PTO that raised zero dollars because the group went dormant for a year still has a filing obligation as long as the tax-exempt status is active. The only groups that don't file a 990 at all are churches and certain church-affiliated organizations, which are excepted from the requirement under IRC section 6033(a)(3) [1]. A general youth sports booster club or PTO does not fall into that exception. If your organization is genuinely inactive and you're considering dissolving it instead of keeping up with filings, that's a real option worth discussing with your board, but you still need to handle the final year's filing and formally notify the IRS, rather than just letting it lapse into auto-revocation.
what is a treasurer of a club responsible for beyond the 990
The 990 is one deadline on a longer list. What does a treasurer do in a club across a full year? Typically: monthly bank reconciliation, a running ledger of income and expenses by category, a budget presented at the start of the year and tracked against actuals, cash-handling controls for events (two people counting concession cash, deposit slips matched to counts), any required state raffle license renewal, state charitable solicitation registration renewal where applicable, and the annual 990. What do treasurers do that new officers most often underestimate? The handoff. Outgoing treasurers frequently leave incomplete records, expired online banking access, or a 990-N filed under login credentials nobody remembers. Build a habit of a written handoff packet each year: EIN, state registration numbers, IRS e-Postcard login help, bank signer list, and the prior three years of filed 990s printed or saved as PDFs. That one habit prevents most of the panic that leads to missed filings and eventual auto-revocation in the first place.
Frequently asked questions
what is form 990
Form 990 is the annual information return that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS under Internal Revenue Code section 6033. It reports income, expenses, and governance details so the IRS (and the public) can see the organization is operating within its exempt purpose. Depending on size, you file the 990-N, 990-EZ, or full Form 990.
what does a treasurer do
A treasurer tracks all money coming in and going out, reconciles bank statements, reports finances to the board, and handles required filings like the annual IRS Form 990 and any state charitable registration. In small volunteer groups, the treasurer is usually the entire finance function, more than one part of it.
what is a 990 tax form
It's not really a tax bill; it's an information return. Nonprofits use it to report gross receipts, expenses, and governance practices to the IRS annually. Which version you file (990-N, 990-EZ, or full 990) depends on your gross receipts and total assets, per IRS thresholds.
what is the 990
"The 990" usually refers to whichever version of Form 990 your organization files each year: the 990-N e-Postcard for groups under $50,000 in gross receipts, the 990-EZ for mid-size groups, or the full Form 990 for larger organizations, all due the 15th day of the 5th month after the fiscal year ends.
does every nonprofit have to file a 990 every year
Almost every 501(c)(3), including tiny booster clubs and PTOs, must file some version of the 990 annually, even with zero income in a given year. The main exceptions are churches and certain church-affiliated organizations, which are excused under IRC section 6033(a)(3).
what happens if you miss the 990 deadline
Missing once usually just means filing late; 990-N has no late penalty for a single year, while 990-EZ and full 990 can carry a $20/day penalty (higher caps for larger orgs). Miss three years in a row in any combination of these forms and the IRS automatically revokes your tax-exempt status under IRC 6033(j).
how do you know which 990 form to file
Check your organization's gross receipts, averaged over the current and prior two years if you're new or income varies. Under $50,000 normally means Form 990-N. Under $200,000 in receipts and under $500,000 in assets usually means Form 990-EZ. Above either threshold means the full Form 990.
can you file form 990-N late
Yes, there's no formal penalty for filing a single year's 990-N late, and you can just file it as soon as you catch the miss. But there's no extension mechanism for it either, and repeated late or missing years count toward the three-year auto-revocation trigger under IRC section 6033(j).
what does a club treasurer do that other board members don't
The treasurer is typically the person who signs the 990, maintains the day-to-day ledger, and is accountable if filings or reconciliations lapse. Other board members set policy and approve budgets, but the treasurer executes the financial mechanics and carries the compliance deadlines.
how do you get your tax-exempt status back after auto-revocation
You apply for reinstatement, more than catch up on filings. Small organizations eligible for 990-N or 990-EZ can often use the streamlined retroactive reinstatement process under Revenue Procedure 2014-11 if they apply within 15 months of the revocation posting, filing Form 1023 or 1023-EZ with the required fee.
is form 990 the same as a tax return
Not in the way most people think of a tax return. It's an information return: it reports finances and governance, but most 501(c)(3) organizations owe no income tax on program-related revenue. If your group has unrelated business income, that's reported separately on Form 990-T.
does a small youth sports booster club need to file a 990
Yes, if it has 501(c)(3) status and an EIN. Size only determines which version: a small booster club under $50,000 in gross receipts files the free 990-N e-Postcard online. There's no exemption from filing based on being small; there's just a simpler form.
Sources
- IRS, About Form 990: Form 990 purpose and section 6033 requirement; church exception under 6033(a)(3)
- IRS, e-Postcard (Form 990-N) overview: 990-N is the annual electronic notice required under section 6033(i)
- IRS, Instructions for Form 990-EZ: 990-EZ reporting requirements including program accomplishments and excess benefit transactions
- IRS, Instructions for Form 990: 990 due date is the 15th day of the 5th month after the accounting period ends
- IRS, Instructions for Form 8868: automatic 6-month extension available for exempt organization returns via Form 8868
- IRS, Automatic Revocation of Exemption: three consecutive years of non-filing triggers automatic revocation under IRC 6033(j)
- IRS, Tax Exempt Organization Search: IRS publishes auto-revoked organizations in its searchable database