I know, you thought tax time was in April. But for PTAs (and other 501(c)(3) organizations), tax time depends on when their fiscal year ends. For many PTAs, that’s June 30th. And yes, your PTA is a non-profit organization, but you still need to file a form with the IRS. Your tax form is due on the 15th day of the fifth month after the end of your fiscal year. If your PTA’s fiscal year ended in June, that means your filing deadline is November 15th.

The form you’ll need to fill out for your PTA is the IRS Form 990. There are three versions of this form, and which one your PTA needs to file depends on your PTA’s gross receipts (all the money received in your fiscal year) and perhaps its total assets.

  • If your PTA’s gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less, you can file the e-postcard Form 990-N (this will be the case for most PTAs). It takes less than 10 minutes to fill out.
  • If your PTA’s gross receipts are more than $50,000 but less than $200,000 and your PTA’s assets are less than $500,000, you can file the Form 990-EZ (note you have to meet both conditions to use this form).
  • If your PTA’s gross receipts are over $200,000 or your total assets are over $500,000, you will need to file the full Form 990 (note that either condition requires this form).

Failure to file a Form 990 each year can result in your PTA’s losing its tax-exempt status, and the IRS can levy penalties of $20/day up to $10,000 or 5% of the organization’s gross receipts. The IRS may waive these penalties for small non-profits getting their filings up to date, but it is not guaranteed that they will.

In addition, if your PTA is submitting a grant application with National PTA, you will need to have your tax filing up to date. If it is not, contact your region director immediately for help in getting your tax filing or any other items required for good standing completed so your PTA will be eligible for the National PTA grant.