Form 990 is the annual information return that most US tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS. Which version you file depends on size: groups with gross receipts normally of $50,000 or less can submit the 990-N e-Postcard, smaller groups can use the 990-EZ, and larger ones file the full Form 990, due on the 15th day of the 5th month after the year ends.
If you run or sit on the board of a charity, club or association, Form 990 is the filing that keeps your tax exemption alive. It isn't a tax bill. It's how the IRS, and the public, see what your organization does with its income. Here's how the IRS pages break it down.
Who files a Form 990
The IRS says tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts and section 527 political organizations file Form 990 to give the IRS the information required by section 6033. Most tax-exempt organizations, other than churches and certain church-related organizations, have to file an annual return or notice.
Which version: the IRS chart
| Your organization | Form to file |
|---|---|
| Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less | 990-N (e-Postcard), or a full return if you prefer |
| Gross receipts under $200,000 and total assets under $500,000 | 990-EZ or 990 |
| Gross receipts $200,000 or more, or total assets $500,000 or more | 990 |
| Private foundation, whatever its size | 990-PF |
Gross receipts means everything the organization received from all sources during the year, before subtracting any costs. That surprises treasurers who think in terms of profit: a fundraiser that raises a lot and spends most of it still counts in full.
What normally $50,000 or less means
The e-Postcard test isn't one year's figure. The IRS treats gross receipts as normally $50,000 or less if the organization:
- Has existed for 1 year or less and received, or had pledged, $75,000 or less in its first tax year
- Has existed between 1 and 3 years and averaged $60,000 or less in each of its first two tax years
- Is at least 3 years old and averaged $50,000 or less over the preceding 3 tax years, including the current one
The 990-N needs only eight items of basic information, including your EIN. If you haven't got one yet, my guide on how to get an EIN covers the steps. The e-Postcard is filed online only, through an IRS account, and the IRS says not to file it from a phone or tablet.
The due date and extensions
Form 990, 990-EZ and 990-N are all due by the 15th day of the 5th month after your tax year ends. For a calendar-year organization, that's 15 May. If the date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day. You can't file the e-Postcard until the tax year has ended.
Need more time for a full return? Form 8868 gives an exempt organization an automatic 6-month extension of time to file. It extends the filing date, so plan the work, not just the form.
Penalties, as of October 2026
| Situation | What the IRS says |
|---|---|
| Return filed late, incomplete or incorrect | $20 a day for each day late |
| Maximum for most organizations | The lesser of $10,500 or one-twentieth of gross receipts for the year |
| Larger organizations | A higher daily rate and cap, adjusted over time: the IRS page's latest example is $105 a day up to $54,500 for returns due in 2022, for gross receipts over $1,094,500 |
| Individual who ignores an IRS deadline to file | $10 a day, capped at $5,000 for all individuals |
| Late 990-N | No penalty, but it still counts toward revocation |
Using a paid preparer doesn't move the responsibility: the IRS is clear that the organization is still on the hook. If a return comes back with a letter asking for missing information, the IRS asks for a complete return within 10 days of the letter's date to avoid penalties.
The rule that ends organizations: 3 years of silence
This is the one I'd underline for every small group. If an organization that's required to file doesn't file for three consecutive years, it automatically loses its federal tax exemption. The revocation is effective on the original due date of the third return.
The consequences are harsh. A revoked organization may have to file a corporate or trust income tax return and pay tax, it can't receive tax-deductible contributions, and it drops off the IRS list of exempt organizations. The law doesn't allow an appeal: you have to apply for reinstatement, even if you never had to apply for exemption in the first place. Because the 990-N carries no late penalty, tiny groups often forget it, and that's exactly how they lose their status.
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Your 990 is public
An exempt organization must make its annual return available for public inspection and copying for three years from the due date or the date it was filed, whichever is later. Donors, journalists and grant makers read them. Treat the narrative sections as a shop window for your mission, not a box-ticking exercise.
A simple annual routine
- Add up gross receipts for the year and check the 3-year average for the e-Postcard test.
- Pick the form from the IRS chart above.
- Diary the 15th day of the 5th month, and file Form 8868 early if you need longer.
- Gather the schedules that apply, such as Schedule A for public charity status or Schedule B for contributors.
- Use nonprofit accounting software so the year-end figures come out of your books, not a scramble.
- File every year, even when the organization is quiet.
My verdict
For a small nonprofit, Form 990 is rarely hard. The danger is forgetting it. A missed e-Postcard costs nothing the first year, but three in a row costs you your exemption, and there's no appeal. Put one named person in charge of it, diary the date and file every single year.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form 990?
The annual information return most US tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts and section 527 political organizations file with the IRS.
Who can file the 990-N e-Postcard?
Most small exempt organizations whose gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less, measured on the IRS's 1, 2 and 3-year tests.
When is Form 990 due?
By the 15th day of the 5th month after the tax year ends, which is 15 May for a calendar-year organization.
Can I get an extension for Form 990?
Yes. Form 8868 gives an automatic 6-month extension of time to file.
What is the penalty for filing Form 990 late?
Generally $20 a day, up to the lesser of $10,500 or one-twentieth of gross receipts, as of October 2026, with higher daily amounts for larger organizations.
What happens if we don't file for three years?
The organization automatically loses its federal tax exemption, with no appeal; it has to apply for reinstatement.
