Form 990 Explained: Which Version Your Nonprofit Files (2026)

Every year, most US tax-exempt organizations owe the IRS an annual information return from the Form 990 family. The hard part is not the filing itself. It is knowing which version applies to you, when it is due, and what happens if a volunteer treasurer forgets. Miss three years in a row and the IRS revokes your exemption automatically, with no appeal.

This guide explains the nonprofit Form 990 in plain English: the four versions, the size tests that decide between them, the deadline and extension, what the public can see, and the records you need to keep ready.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. For your organization’s situation, talk to a CPA or tax adviser who works with nonprofits.

What Form 990 is

Form 990 is an information return: a yearly report to the IRS about your finances, governance and activities. Most exempt organizations do not owe income tax on it. They file it so the IRS and the public can see how the organization raises and spends money. Filed returns are public, the IRS makes them searchable online through its Tax Exempt Organization Search, and donors, grantmakers and journalists read them.

Two terms decide which version you file:

Gross receipts: the total amount your organization received from all sources during its tax year, without subtracting any costs or expenses. A gala that brings in $30,000 and costs $12,000 adds $30,000 to gross receipts, not $18,000.
Total assets: everything on your balance sheet at the end of the year (cash, investments, buildings, equipment), without subtracting what you owe.

The four versions at a glance

Form	Who files it	Key test
990-N (e-Postcard)	Small organizations	Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less
990-EZ	Small to mid-size organizations	Gross receipts under $200,000 and year-end total assets under $500,000
990	Larger organizations	Gross receipts $200,000 or more or year-end total assets $500,000 or more
990-PF	Private foundations	Any size

An organization that qualifies for a smaller form can always choose a bigger one. A 990-N organization may file a 990-EZ or 990 instead, but if it does, it must file a complete return with all required schedules.

Some organizations are not required to file at all. The IRS instructions list exceptions such as churches, conventions or associations of churches, and their integrated auxiliaries, plus certain governmental units. Others cannot use the e-Postcard even when they are small; for example, a section 509(a)(3) supporting organization generally must file Form 990 or 990-EZ. If you are unsure, check the “Who must file” section of the IRS instructions.

Step by step: which form do you file?

Are you a private foundation? If yes, file Form 990-PF. Your determination letter and Schedule A status tell you whether you are a public charity or a private foundation.
Are your gross receipts normally $50,000 or less? If yes, you can file Form 990-N. “Normally” has a specific meaning, explained below.
Are this year’s gross receipts under $200,000 and your end-of-year total assets under $500,000? If both are true, you can file Form 990-EZ.
Otherwise, file the full Form 990.

What “normally $50,000 or less” means

The IRS looks at an average, not one year, depending on how old the organization is. Gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less if the organization:

has existed for 1 year or less and received, or had donors pledge, $75,000 or less in its first tax year;
has existed between 1 and 3 years and averaged $60,000 or less in each of its first two tax years; or
is at least 3 years old and averaged $50,000 or less over the immediately preceding 3 tax years, including the year you are filing for.

Worked examples

Example 1: a youth soccer league. It is five years old. Gross receipts were $40,000, $55,000 and $50,000 over the last three tax years (including this one). The average is $48,333, so receipts are normally $50,000 or less. It can file the 990-N, even though one year topped $50,000.

Example 2: a food pantry. Gross receipts this year were $180,000, which is under $200,000. But it owns its warehouse, and total assets at year-end are $520,000. Because assets are $500,000 or more, it must file the full Form 990, not the 990-EZ.

Example 3: a community arts group. Gross receipts of $150,000 and total assets of $90,000. Both tests pass, so it can file Form 990-EZ. It could also choose to file the full 990.

When it is due, and how to extend

All three versions (990-N, 990-EZ and 990) are due by the 15th day of the 5th month after your tax year ends. If that day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Calendar year (ends December 31): due May 15.
Fiscal year ending June 30: due November 15.

If you need more time for a Form 990, 990-EZ or 990-PF, file Form 8868 by the original due date. The IRS grants an automatic 6-month extension if the form is complete and filed on time. Only one 6-month extension is allowed per return, and an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay any tax you owe (for example, tax on unrelated business income).

You cannot extend Form 990-N. If you file the e-Postcard, plan to file on time.

Penalties for filing late

For Form 990 and 990-EZ, the IRS instructions for 2025 returns set a penalty of $25 a day, up to the lesser of $13,000 or 5% of the organization’s gross receipts, unless you show reasonable cause. For organizations with gross receipts over $1,309,500, it is $130 a day, up to $65,000 per return. The penalty can also apply to an incomplete return, such as one with a required schedule missing. The IRS adjusts these figures, so check the current instructions for the year you are filing.

The IRS does not charge a penalty for a late 990-N. But a late e-Postcard still counts toward the three-year rule below.

The three-year rule: automatic revocation

If an organization fails to file a required Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF or 990-N for three consecutive years, its tax-exempt status is automatically revoked. The revocation takes effect on the filing due date of the third missed year.

What follows is serious:

The organization is no longer exempt from federal income tax and may need to file a corporate (Form 1120) or trust (Form 1041) income tax return.
It can no longer receive tax-deductible contributions, and it is removed from the IRS list of eligible charities. Gifts made before the organization appears on the revocation list stay deductible for donors.
The IRS cannot undo a proper automatic revocation, and there is no appeal. The organization has to apply for reinstatement, even if it never had to apply for exemption in the first place.

The IRS publishes the revocation list and updates it monthly. If you have taken over a dormant organization, look it up in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search before you do anything else.

E-filing is required

Since the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF must be filed electronically. According to the IRS, a return that is required to be e-filed but is sent on paper is treated as not filed, even though you mailed it.

You e-file through IRS-authorized software or a tax professional who is an authorized e-file provider. The Form 990-N is also electronic only: you submit it through the IRS e-Postcard system, which requires a Login.gov or ID.me account. The IRS says not to use a phone or tablet to submit it.

E-filing is available only for the current tax year and the two prior tax periods. Older returns have to go on paper.

Schedules A and B, in brief

The 990 and 990-EZ come with schedules, extra forms you attach when they apply. Two matter to most charities:

Schedule A (Public Charity Status and Public Support): section 501(c)(3) organizations complete and attach it. It shows why you qualify as a public charity rather than a private foundation, often by showing that enough of your support comes from the general public.
Schedule B (Schedule of Contributors): lists contributors who gave above a threshold during the year. The general rule is contributions of $5,000 or more from any one contributor; a special rule applies to some publicly supported charities (the greater of $5,000 or 2% of a set total). On the 990-EZ, you must either attach Schedule B or check the box saying you do not need to. Doing neither makes the return incomplete.

There are other schedules for specific situations, such as Schedule O for narrative explanations and Schedule N if the organization is dissolving. Your tax preparer or software will flag the ones that apply.

What the public can see

Your filed Form 990 or 990-EZ, including schedules and attachments, is generally open to public inspection. You must:

let anyone inspect your annual returns at your offices during regular business hours, free of charge;
keep each return available for 3 years from the later of its due date (including extensions) or the date you filed it; and
provide copies on request, charging no more than a reasonable fee for copying and postage.

You do not have to provide copies if you make the return “widely available,” for example by posting it online under the IRS conditions. You still have to allow inspection in person.

Donor privacy: for most organizations that file Form 990 or 990-EZ, the names and addresses of contributors on Schedule B do not have to be made public. Private foundations (Form 990-PF) and section 527 political organizations are different: their contributor information is public. The IRS also warns against putting Social Security numbers anywhere on the return, because it becomes public.

The records you need

Good records make the 990 a few hours of work instead of a few weeks. Keep these ready before your preparer asks:

Basic details: EIN, tax year, legal name, other names you use, mailing address, website, and a principal officer’s name and address. These are also the core items on the 990-N.
Financial statements for the year: income statement and balance sheet, with beginning and end-of-year balances.
Revenue detail: contributions and grants, program service revenue, fundraising events (gross and direct costs, reported separately), investment income and sales of assets.
Donor records: who gave how much, to support Schedule B, plus any restrictions donors placed on gifts.
Expense detail by function: program services, management and general, and fundraising. The full Form 990 asks for expenses split this way.
Governance records: board minutes, conflict of interest policy, and the names, titles and pay of officers, directors and key employees.
Payroll and contractor records: Forms W-2, 1099 and 941 filed during the year.

The IRS instructions say records that support an item of income or expense should usually be kept for at least 3 years from the later of the due date or the date you filed. Keep records on property you own for as long as you need them to figure its basis, and keep copies of every return you file.

Common mistakes

Netting fundraising income. Gross receipts are measured before costs. Reporting a gala’s net profit as your receipts can put you on the wrong form, and the IRS says reporting contributions net of fundraising costs can trigger a penalty.
Forgetting the asset test. A small organization that buys a building can jump straight from the 990-EZ to the full 990.
Assuming a paper return counts. A required e-file return sent on paper is treated as not filed.
Losing track after a volunteer leaves. Revocation is automatic after three missed years, including missed e-Postcards. Put the due date in a shared calendar, not one person’s head.
Missing the 990-N deadline because “there’s no penalty.” There is no fine, but missed years still count toward revocation, and you cannot extend.
Leaving out Schedule B or the box that replaces it. That makes the 990-EZ incomplete.
Ignoring the state. Many states have their own charity filing or registration rules, and some require a copy of your 990. Check with your state charity regulator.

Software that makes the 990 easier

Most of the 990’s hard work happens long before filing day: keeping restricted grants separate, tagging expenses by program and fundraising, and recording donors properly. Our guides can help you set that up:

Best accounting software for nonprofits: fund tracking and reports that map to the 990.
Best nonprofit CRM: donor records that make Schedule B and acknowledgments simple.
Best payroll software for nonprofits: clean W-2 and 941 records for the year.
Fund accounting for nonprofits, explained: how restricted money shows up on your books and on the 990.

Compare the toolsBest Accounting Software for Nonprofits (2026)We compare Aplos, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Sage Intacct on fund accounting, grant tracking and real monthly cost for small and growing nonprofits.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Form 990-N, 990-EZ and 990?

They are versions of the same annual information return, sized to the organization. Form 990-N (the e-Postcard) is a short online notice for organizations whose gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less. Form 990-EZ is a short return for organizations with gross receipts under $200,000 and year-end total assets under $500,000. Everyone else files the full Form 990. Private foundations file Form 990-PF instead.

When is Form 990 due?

By the 15th day of the 5th month after your tax year ends. For a calendar-year organization that is May 15. If the date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day. The same rule applies to Forms 990-EZ and 990-N.

Can I get an extension for Form 990?

Yes. File Form 8868 by the original due date to get an automatic 6-month extension for Form 990, 990-EZ or 990-PF. You cannot extend Form 990-N.

What happens if a nonprofit does not file Form 990 for three years?

The IRS automatically revokes its tax-exempt status, effective on the filing due date of the third missed year. Donations made after that are no longer tax-deductible, and the organization must apply for reinstatement. There is no appeal process.

Is our Form 990 public?

Yes. Form 990 and 990-EZ, including schedules, are generally open to public inspection, and you must provide copies on request for three years. For most public charities, the names and addresses of donors on Schedule B do not have to be disclosed.

Sources and updates

Facts in this article were last checked against the official sources below on Oct 6, 2026. Rules and thresholds change, so confirm anything you act on with the official source or a qualified professional. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will re-check it. How we work: editorial policy.