Windham Region Chamber of Commerce

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New IRS online tool offers expanded access to information on tax-exempt organizations; newly-filed data available to public for first time

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today introduced a new online tool on IRS.gov designed to provide faster, easier access to publicly available information about exempt organizations.

“This new tool provides taxpayers an easy way to get information about charitable organizations,” said Acting IRS Commissioner David Kautter. “Tax-exempt organizations play a critical role in our nation, and this will provide greater insight for people considering donations.”

The new Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) replaces EO Select Check, a more limited tool available since 2012 that focused primarily on providing information on an organization’s tax-exempt status.

The new tool makes images of newly-filed 990 forms available for the first time. TEOS also features two major enhancements:

  • Users can access more types of information than were previously available using EO Select Check.
  • The search process has been simplified and allows users to look across multiple data files for information in one search.

In addition, TEOS is mobile friendly, which provides access to the search tool using smartphones or tablets. With the new tool, users can view images of an organization’s:

  • Forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF and 990-T (501(c)(3) organizations only) filed with the IRS. Initially, only 990 series forms filed in January and February 2018 will be available. New filings will be added monthly.
  • Favorable determination letters issued by the IRS when an organization applied for and met the requirements for tax-exempt status. Initially, a limited number of determination letters will be available. Eventually, determination letters issued since January 2014 will also appear on the system.

TEOS also can be used to find all the information previously available on EO Select Check. This information includes whether an organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions, has had its tax-exempt status revoked because it failed to file required forms or notices for three consecutive years and, for a small organization, whether it filed a Form 990-N (e-Postcard) annual electronic notice with the IRS.

Publicly-available data from electronically-filed 990 forms will continue to be available in a machine-readable format through Amazon Web Services. Visit IRS.gov for more information.