Non-profit organizations are corporations that concentrate on fulfilling a public purpose rather than on making money. The purpose can be a charitable, scientific, educational, religious, or literary. A non-profit can apply to be tax-exempt as long as it can show it is primarily working to fulfill one of these public purposes.
Nov 20, 2016 · Nonprofit Organizations Need Nonprofit Lawyers. J.J. Harwayne Leitner. At one of the Nonprofit Organizations Committee meetings held during the April 2016 ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting, a discussion developed about the errors, mistakes, and missed opportunities nonprofit organizations commonly encounter when they have not had the ...
Non-profit organizations are corporations that concentrate on fulfilling a public purpose rather than on making money. The purpose can be a charitable, scientific, educational, religious, or literary. A non-profit can apply to be tax-exempt as long as it can show it is primarily working to fulfill one of these public purposes.
Formation of non-profit corporations as well as getting tax-exempt status from the federal government can be quite complex. You may want to consult a business attorney to help you understand these laws and walk you through the steps of forming a non-profit group, and what you have to do to get tax exempt status.
Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) Although most lawyers likely are aware that unrelated business activities could generate taxable income for a tax-exempt organization, lawyers who do not practice in the exempt organizations world are not generally expert in the nuances of UBIT. Some common examples of this include:
In general, when a disqualified person who is an employee of an applicable tax-exempt organization receives something of value from the organization without paying for it, the transaction generally is considered an exchange arising out of the employment relationship.
If it’s clear that the communications are to be attorney-client communications, they should be protected by the privilege. However, such protection may be lost if it’s not clear that you are communicating only as an attorney or if the communication is recorded in minutes to which other persons have access. Competence.
A board member who is an attorney offers to the nonprofit specialized knowledge, skills, perspectives, and networks of contacts. But serving as a board member is very different from representing the organization as pro bono counsel, which makes it critical for the parties to understand the precise role in which the attorney will serve. ...
In performing the duties of a director, a director may be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports or statements prepared or presented by an attorney. This may serve as a defense to a claim if, for example, a director took an action that would otherwise have been considered negligent but not for the director’s reliance on the opinion ...
While there are certainly best practices for selecting, onboarding, and engaging members of your nonprofit’s governing body, one size does not fit all. When it comes to knowing how to select the best board members, every nonprofit has unique needs, dynamics, and goals. Rather than seeking “ the deep pockets, token attorney, ...
All too often, nonprofit boards assume that because a community member has an extensive network of influence, they will use those connections to the benefit of the organization. However, many organizations find themselves with new, well-connected board members who are either unable or unwilling to leverage those relationships.
Public charities are businesses that happen to qualify for tax-exempt status. Just like any other business, there are programs/services to deliver, budgets to meet, and oversite to complete. When a board gets tunnel vision and only focuses on the mission, it is easy to neglect critical job duties related to development, finance, and governance. ...
Due diligence is a must to ensure the candidate is truly the best fit when trying to select the best board member or members. Selecting ideal board members is just the first part of this vital leadership equation.
Practically speaking, they are accountable to your supporters and beneficiaries to oversee the accomplishment of the organization’s purposes.
Specifically, every nonprofit should have bylaws. The bylaws are the internal rules of governance that the organization’s board is bound to operate within. A compliant set of bylaws will contain specific rules that spell out (among other things) the responsibilities of board members, as well as things like length of terms (1 year, 2 year, ...
The bylaws are the internal rules of governance that the organization’s board is bound to operate within. A compliant set of bylaws will contain specific rules that spell out (among other things) the responsibilities of board members, as well as things like length of terms (1 year, 2 year, etc.) and the processes for removing ...
Greg McRay is the founder and CEO of The Foundation Group. He is registered with the IRS as an Enrolled Agent and specializes in 501 (c) (3) and other tax exemption issues.