(a) Assessment and collections. Since the taxes imposed by section 527 are taxes imposed by subtitle A of the Code, all provisions of law and of the regulations applicable to the taxes imposed by subtitle A are applicable to the assessment and collection of the taxes imposed by section 527. Organizations subject to the tax imposed by section 527 are subject to the same provisions, including penalties, as are provided for corporations, in general, except that the requirements of section 6154 concerning the payment of estimated tax do not apply. See, generally, sections 6151, et. seq., and the regulations prescribed thereunder, for provisions relating to payment of tax.

(b) Returns. For requirements of filing annual returns with respect to political organization taxable income, see section 6012 (a) (6) and the applicable regulations.

(c) Taxable years, method of accounting, etc. The taxable year (fiscal year or calendar year, as the case may be) of a political organization is determined without regard to the fact that such organization may have been exempt from tax during any prior period. See sections 441 and 446, and the regulations thereunder in this part, and section 7701 and the regulations in Part 301 of this chapter (Regulations on Procedure and Administration). Similarly, in computing political organization taxable income, the determination of the taxable year for which an item of income or expense is taken into account is made under the provisions of sections 441, 446, 451, 461, and the regulations thereunder, whether or not the item arose during a taxable year beginning before, on, or after the effective date of the provisions imposing a tax upon political organization taxable income. If a method for treating bad debts was selected in a return of income (other than an information return) for a previous taxable year, the taxpayer must follow such method in its returns under section 527, unless such method is changed inaccordance with the provisions of §1.166-1. A taxpayer who has not previously selected a method for treating bad debts may, in its first return under section 6012 (a) (6), exercise the option granted in §1.166-1.

(d) Effective date. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of §1.527-6 and in paragraph (a) of §1.527-9, the regulations under section 527 apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1974.

[T.D. 7744, 45 FR 85735, Dec. 30, 1980, as amended by T.D. 8041, 50 FR 30817, July 30, 1985]