IRS cracks down on local charities

IRS documentation shows thousands of California charities are at risk of losing their tax-exempt status.

Kathryn Watson, Writer

Thousands of California charities are at risk of losing their tax-exempt statuses, according to documentation the IRS published online this week. About 30 of them are in La Mirada.

The government agency posted comprehensive lists with the names and addresses of organizations nationwide that failed to meet their filing due dates in an effort to hold them accountable to federal law. The law requires tax-exempt entities to file records of their finances with the IRS or automatically lose their tax-exempt status after failing to do so for three consecutive years. In a one-time provision, however, the IRS is offering a filing extension of Oct. 15 for those who have breached the law, but whose filing due dates fall on or after May 17.

California alone has 1,162 pages of at-risk charities listed online for all to see. About 400 of the entries have the word “Christian” in them. Some of the at-risk California organizations include United Christians Inc. in Santa Ana, Trinity Outreach Ministries in Los Angeles, the La Mirada High School Track & Field Booster Club and the Whittier Area Special Education Program Fund for the Handicapped.

Tax-exempt entities are, among other things, required to list their highest-paid employees, expenses and revenue in reports called 990 forms.

The lists are available online here

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