Q-1: What does section 505(c) of the Internal Revenue Code provide?

A-1: Section 505(c) provides that an organization will not be recognized as exempt under section 501(c)(9) as a voluntary employees' beneficiary association, under section 501(c)(17) as a trust forming part of a plan providing for the payment of supplemental unemployment compensation benefits, or under section 501(c)(20) as a trust forming part of a qualified group legal services plan unless notification is given to the Internal Revenue Service. The notification required of a trust created pursuant to section 501(c)(20) and forming part of a qualified group legal services plan is set forth in Q&A-2. The notification required of an organization organized after July 18, 1984, and applying for exempt status as an organization described in section 501(c) (9) or (17) is set forth in Q&A-3 through Q&A-8. The notification required of an organization organized on or before July 18, 1984, and claiming exemption as an organization described in section 501(c) (9) or (17) is set forth in Q&A-9 through Q&A-11. However, an organization that has previously notified the Internal Revenue Service of its claim to exemption under section 501(c) (9), (17), or (20) or its claim to exemption under those sections pursuant to another provision of the Code, is not required, under section 505(c), to submit a renotification (See Q&A-2 and Q&A-12).

Section 501(c)(20) Trusts

Q-2: What is the notice required of a trust created pursuant to section 501(c)(20) and forming part of a qualified group legal services plan under section 120?

A-2: (a) A trust claiming exemption as an organization described in section 501(c)(20) will be recognized as exempt if the exclusive function of the trust is to form part of a qualified group legal services plan or plans. Exemption of the trust under section 501(c)(20) will generally be dependent upon and coextensive with recognition of the plan as a qualified group legal services plan. Therefore, a trust organized pursuant to section 501(c)(20) after July 18, 1984, need not file a separate notice with the Internal Revenue Service of its claim to exemption because the notice required by section 120(c)(4) will suffice for purposes of section 505(c), provided a copy of the trust instrument is filed with the Form 1024 submitted by the group legal services plan. If the trust instrument has not been filed with the Form 1024 submitted by the group legal services plan, the trust must comply with (and exemption will be dependent upon) the filing applicable to a trust organized on or before July 18, 1984. For the notice required and effective dates of exemption of a qualified group legal services plan under section 120, see §1.120-3.

(b) A trust organized on or before July 18, 1984, that claims exempt status as a trust described in section 501(c)(20) and that forms part of a qualified group legal services plan which has been recognized as exempt under section 120, must file a copy of its trust instrument with the Internal Revenue Service before February 4, 1987. If a copy of the trust instrument is filed within the time provided, the trust's exemption will be recognized retroactively to the date the qualified group legal services plan was recognized as exempt under section 120. However, if a copy of the trust instrument is filed after the time provided, exemption will be recognized only for the period after the copy of the trust instrument is filed with the Internal Revenue Service. See Q&A-7 for a further discussion of date of filing. A trust that has previously filed a copy of its trust instrument with the Service need not refile that document.

Section 501(c)(9) and (17) Organizations Organized After July 18, 1984

Q-3: What is the notice required of an organization or trust, organized after July 18, 1984, that is applying for recognition of tax exempt status under section 501(c) (9) or (17)?

A-3: An organization or trust that is organized after July 18, 1984, will not be treated as described in paragraphs (9) or (17) of section 501(c), unless the organization notifies the Internal Revenue Service that it is applying for recognition of exemption. In addition, unless the required notice is given in the manner and within the time prescribed by these regulations, an organization will not be treated as exempt for any period before the giving of the required notice. The notice is filed by submitting a properly completed and executed Form 1024, “Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(a) or for Determination Under Section 120” together with the additional information required under Q&A-4 and Q&A-5. The notice is filed with the district director for the key district in which the organization's principal place of business or principal office is located.

The notice may be filed by either the plan administrator (as defined in section 414(g)) or the trustee. The Internal Revenue Service will not accept a Form 1024 for any organization or trust before such entity has been organized.

Q-4: What information, in addition to the information required by Form 1024, must be submitted by an organization or trust seeking recognition of exemption under section 501(c) (9) or (17)?

A-4: A notice will not be considered complete unless, in addition to a properly completed and executed Form 1024, the organization or trust submits a full description of the benefits available to participants under section 501(c) (9) or (17). Moreover, both the terms and conditions of eligibility for membership and the terms and conditions of eligibility for benefits must be set forth. This information may be contained in a separate document, such as a plan document, or it may be contained in the creating document of the entity (e.g., the articles of incorporation or association, or a trust indenture). For benefits provided through a policy or policies of insurance, all such policies must be included with the notice. Where individual policies of insurance are provided to the participants, single exemplar copies, typical of policies generally issued to participants, are acceptable, provided they adequately describe all forms of insurance available to participants. In providing a full description of the benefits available, the benefits provided must be sufficiently described so that each benefit is definitely determinable. A benefit is definitely determinable if the amount of the benefit, its duration, and the persons eligible to receive it are ascertainable from the plan document or other instrument. Thus, a benefit is not definitely determinable if the rules governing either its amount, its duration, or its recipients are not ascertainable from the plan document or other instrument but are instead subject to the discretion of a person or committee. Likewise, a benefit is not definitely determinable if the amount for any individual is based upon a percentage share of any item that is within the discretion of the employer. However, a disability benefit will not fail to be considered definitely determinable merely because the determination of whether an individual is disabled is made under established guidelines by an authorized person or committee.

Q-5: What is the notice required of collectively bargained plans?

A-5: If an organization or trust claiming exemption under section 501(c) (9) or (17) is organized and maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement between employee representatives and one or more employer, only one Form 1024 is required to be filed for the organization or trust, regardless of the number of employers originally participating in the agreement. Moreover, once a Form 1024 is filed pursuant to a collective bargaining areement, an additional Form 1024 is not required to be filed by an employer who thereafter participates in that agreement. When benefits are provided pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement, the notice will not be considered complete unless, in addition to a properly completed and executed Form 1024, a copy of the collective bargaining agreement is also submitted together with the additional information delineated in Q&A-4.

Q-6: When must the required notice be filed by an organization or trust, organized after July 18, 1984, that seeks recognition of exemption under section 501(c) (9) or (17)?

A-6: An organization or trust applying for exemption must file the required notice by the later of February 4, 1987 or 15 months from the end of the month in which the organization or trust was organized. An extension of time for filing the required notice may be granted by the district director if the request is submitted before the end of the applicable period and it is demonstrated that additional time is needed.

Q-7: What is the effective date of exemption for a new organization or trust, organized after July 18, 1984, that has submitted the required notice?

A-7: If the required notice is filed within the time provided by these regulations, the organization's exemption will be recognized retroactively to the date the organization was organized, provided its purpose, organization and operation (including compliance with the applicable nondiscrimination requirements) during the period prior to the date of the determination letter are in accordance with the applicable law. However, if the required notice is filed after the time provided by these regulations, exemption will be recognized only for the period after the application is filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The date of filing is the date of the United States postmark on the cover in which an exemption application is mailed or, if no postmark appears on the cover, the date the application is stamped as received by the Service. If an extension for filing the required notice has been granted to the organization, a notice filed on or before the last day specified in the extension will be considered timely and not the otherwise applicable date under Q&A-6.

Q-8: What is the effect on exemption of the filing of an incomplete notice?

A-8: Although a properly completed and executed Form 1024 together with the required additional information (See Q&A-4 and Q&A-5) must be submitted to satisfy the notice required by section 505(c), the failure to file, within the time specified, all of the information necessary to complete such notice will not alone be sufficient to deny recognition of exemption from the date of organization to the date the completed information is submitted to the Service. If the notice which is filed with the Service within the required time is substantially complete, and the organization supplies the necessary additional information requested by the Service within the additional time allowed, the original notice will be considered timely. However, if the notice is not substantially complete or the additional information is not provided within the additional time allowed, exemption will be recognized only from the date of filing of the additional information.

Section 501(c)(9) and (17) Organizations Organized on or Before July 18, 1984

Q-9: What is the notice required of an organization or trust organized on or before July 18, 1984, that claims exempt status as an organization described in section 501(c) (9) or (17)?

A-9: Section 505(c) provides a special rule for existing organizations and trusts organized on or before July 18, 1984. Such an organization or trust will not be treated as described in paragraphs (9) or (17) of section 501(c) unless the organization or trust notifies the Internal Revenue Service in the manner and within the time prescribed in these regulations that it is claiming exemption under the particular section. The type of notice, the manner for filing that notice, and the additional information required is the same as that set forth in Q&A-3 through Q&A-5 for new organizations.

Q-10: When must the required notice be filed by an organization or trust organized on or before July 18, 1984?

A-10: An organization or trust organized on or before July 18, 1984, that claims exempt status as an organization described in section 501(c) (9) or (17), must file the required notice before February 4, 1987. An extension of time for filing the required notice may be granted by the district director if the request is submitted before the due date of the notice and it is demonstrated that additional time is needed.

Q-11: What is the effective date of exemption for an organization or trust organized on or before July 18, 1984, that has submitted the required notice?

A-11: If the required notice is filed within the time provided by these regulations, the organization's exemption will be recognized retroactively to the date the organization was organized, provided its purpose, organization and operation (including compliance with the applicable nondiscrimination requirements) during the period prior to the date of the determination letter are in accordance with the applicable law. If, on the other hand, the required notice is filed after the time provided by these regulations, exemption will be recognized only for the period after the notice is received by the Internal Revenue Service. See Q&A-7 for a further discussion of date of filing. See also Q&A-8 for the effect on exemption of a notice that has been timely filed but is incomplete.

Exceptions to Notice Requirement

Q-12: Are any organizations or trusts claiming recognition of exemption as an organization described in section 501(c) (9) or (17) excepted from the notice requirement of section 505(c)?

A-12: An organization or trust that has previously notified the Internal Revenue Service of its claim to exemption by filing Form 1024 is not required, under section 505(c), to renotify the Service. Thus, an organization that has filed a Form 1024 that is pending with the Service need not refile that form. Also, an organization that has received a ruling or determination letter from the Service recognizing its exemption from taxation need not submit the notification required by section 505(c).