Charities registered with the New York Attorney General’s Charities Bureau may now electronically submit their annual filings – CHAR500 and IRS Form 990 – with the Charities Bureau at the same time they file IRS Form 990 with the IRS. Until now, charities had to submit paper filings of the CHAR500 in New York even though they could file Form 990 electronically with the IRS. By using Form990.org, a service provided by the Urban Institute’s National Center for Charitable Statistics, charities can now file electronically with both agencies, significantly reducing processing time.
E-Filing implements a recommendation of the Attorney General’s Leadership Committee for Nonprofit Revitalization, which earlier this year made a series of recommendations to lessen burdens on nonprofits, including allowing nonprofits to file electronically with the Charities Bureau.
Assuming the system works as advertised, this is a welcome step forward for New York into the forefront of modernization in this area. In addition to simplifying the process for charities, e-filing also promotes transparency – allowing the public and funders to have immediate access to information about charities they seek to support. While we applaud this progress, it is important to keep in mind that the filing of these documents is only one aspect of a complex and often confusing system of regulations and policies affecting charities in New York. We hope that this is one of many steps toward greater efficiency and fairness, which is necessary to maintain the vitality of New York’s non-profit sector in these challenging times.
Charities should go to www.charitiesnys.com to begin filing electronically or to get information on filing requirements and detailed instructions.
