Stewards & Officers

Annual Electronic Filing Requirement for Small Exempt Organizations — Form 990-N (e-Postcard) (IRS website link)

Federal law now requires that every local union file an annual information return—Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N—with the IRS.

Small tax exempt organizations with local receipts of less than $25,000 are required to file Form 990-N electronically. Form 990-N is also known as the e-Postcard.

Form 990-N is due every year by the 15th day of the 5th month following your fiscal year end. If you fiscal year end is December 31st then your Form 990-N, e-Postcard, is due on May 15th.

You will need the following information to file Form 990-N:

• Employer identification number (EIN), which is the federal tax ID number you used to open your local's bank account
• Tax year
• Legal name and mailing address
• Any other names the organization uses
• Name and address of a principal officer
• Web site address if the organization has one
• Confirmation that the organization's annual gross receipts (local only) are less than $25,000

Penalties for Failing to File
An organization that fails to file the required information return (Form 990, Form 990-EZ, or Form 990-PF) or e-Postcard (Form 990-N) for three consecutive tax years will automatically lose its tax-exempt status. The revocation of an organization’s tax-exempt status will not take place until the filing due date of the third year. For example, if your Form 990 is due on May 15, 2009 (for tax year 2008) and you do not file in 2009, 2010, or by May 15, 2011, you will lose your tax-exempt status on May 15, 2011. The IRS will not send additional notices once your tax-exempt status is automatically revoked.