| Copying the IRS: Shea-Porter franks another one
WEEKS AGO, the IRS spent $42 million to send a letter to 130 million Americans informing them that they had to file a tax return this year if they wanted to receive their tax rebate check. Afterward, 1st District Rep. Carol Shea-Porter sent her constiuents a taxpayer-funded letter telling them the same thing. That's Shea-Porter frugality for you. We are all for members of Congress helping their constituents navigate the intricacies of Washington. We are not for members duplicating the executive branch's efforts and claiming credit for providing taxpayers with information they already had. Shea-Porter's letter, which you paid for, closes with this note: "Undocumented workers are not eligible. You must have a valid Social Security number to receive a rebate." You might be wondering, "Am I an undocumented worker'?" Well, if you snuck into this country illegally, then yes you are.
IRS announces rebate mailing schedule
The exact date you receive your economic stimulus check will be based on the last two numbers of your social security number. The IRS will start mailing them out May 2. The lower those numbers are, the sooner your check will be mailed. If you get your tax refund deposited directly into your bank account your check will be deposited before May 16. .
IRS has new filing rules for nonprofits
Tax time is coming, so most of us at least have the IRS in mind. Even though we do not pay federal taxes on income, we nonprofits also have the IRS on our minds. Especially lately. Last year the IRS went through a major revision of the Form 990. This is the form all nonprofits must file to report on the sources of our funds and how they were spent. The revisions were extensive, and we're gearing up for reporting differently at the end of our 2008 fiscal years. One of the most significant differences is that the 990 now includes questions about practices that do not relate directly to our income and expenses. Most significantly, the IRS requires that we report on our "Governance, Management and Disclosure." These topics are not within the authorized scope of IRS regulation but, as reported on its Web site, "The IRS believes that the existence of an independent governing body and well-defined governance and management policies and practices increases the likelihood that an organization is operating in compliance with federal tax law." The questions asked have a focus on the independence of board members – the business or financial relationships between board members and the nonprofit they lead.
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