501(c)(3)

Is Your Church Required to File the New IRS BOI?

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Is Your Church Required to File the New IRS BOI?

We want to bring to your attention an important new IRS filing requirement for churches and non-profits: the FinCEN Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI).

Here are the key points:

  • 1. Churches and nonprofits are NOT automatically exempt from BOI reporting.

  • 2. If your church or nonprofit has a valid 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS, you are NOT required to report BOI.

  • 3. However, churches that are automatically considered 501(c)(3) organizations for certain purposes without an IRS determination letter fall under a different requirement:

    • Those churches operating as 501(c)(3) organizations under the presumption of tax exemption, without obtaining a 501(c)(3) determination letter, ARE required to file their BOI information and any future updates.

The crucial factor is whether you have an IRS determination letter stating your church has valid 501(c)(3) status. If not, your church or non-profit must comply with the BOI federal reporting requirement. We strongly advise consulting your accountant for clarification.

We hope this information will be helpful to our SWC congregations.

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The Group Exemption, Proving Your Church’s Tax-Exempt Status, and Your Church’s EIN: What Local Churches Need to Know

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Do you know about the United Church of Christ’s group exemption? Do you need to prove that your Local Church is tax-exempt? Do you know the difference between “nonprofit,” “tax-exempt,” and “501(c)(3)?” These terms, while often used interchangeably, have distinct meanings under the law, and come with different legal obligations. This post explains how these terms apply to your Local Church, how to prove your church’s tax-exempt status, and the importance of maintaining your church’s federal Employer Identification Number, or EIN.

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