Editorials: IRS and Scrutiny: Reviewing Review | Ellen Aprill/Roll Call

IRS employees who review applications for exemption have a duty to ask follow-up questions of applicants, including groups affiliated with the tea party. In the current controversy, IRS reviewers wrongly singled out conservative groups for unusually exacting follow-up. In a number of these cases, they also asked inappropriate questions, such as the identity of donors. Some media reports, however, imply that the IRS cannot and should not ask any questions of applicants for exemption, that any inquiry invades privacy and violates the First Amendment. That implication is wrong. An organization that seeks an IRS acknowledgment of its exempt status subjects itself to scrutiny — scrutiny designed to ensure that the group in fact qualifies for the benefit of tax exemption. Twenty-nine categories of organization are exempt from income tax under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. A few of these categories require an application for recognition of exemption. For example, section 501(c)(3) exempts charities and entitles organizations satisfying its requirements to receive tax-deductible contributions. Most entities seeking to qualify as 501(c)(3) exempt charities must file an application. (Churches and very small organizations are not subject to the application requirement.)
For other categories, such as 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, the category at the center of the current furor, filing an application is not required. A 501(c)(4) organization that makes a decision to file for recognition of exemption is also making a decision to subject itself to review by IRS employees to ensure that the group qualifies for the exemption it seeks.
Filing an application for exemption entails far more than checking a box on a single-page form. The application for exemption is detailed and lengthy. It asks questions about the applicant’s activities; the names, addresses and compensation of its officers, directors and trustees; and financial data, including a statement of revenue and expenses, as well as a balance sheet.
Even with all the information provided on the application, filing it is only the beginning of the process. IRS reviewers generally ask a number of follow-up questions. These questions aim to ensure that the applicant qualifies for exemption.
Full Article: IRS and Scrutiny: Reviewing Review | Commentary : Roll Call Opinion.