General Information Section

Despite being the easiest section to complete, some of the most frequent errors are made in the general information section.

Here are some tips (the letters below correspond to the item letters on Form 990):

A:  List the correct year end.
C:  Enter your organization’s legal name as it appears on the determination letter you received from the IRS.
D:  Enter and double-check your Employer Identification Number.
F:  Specify the accounting method that your organization regularly uses to keep its books and records. For Form 990, the method used must clearly reflect income. (For state reporting purposes, check with your state to determine its reporting requirements.)
J: Enter your organization’s specific exempt code. For example, 501(c)(3)s will check the “501(c)” box and enter a “3” in the parentheses.
K: Check the box only if your organization's gross receipts are normally not more than $25,000. If you check box K, do not forget to file a complete return.